College search and selection: a study of the influence of social media on college choice

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore interactive use of social media influenced first-year college students' decision to attend a four year private Christian college in the souwestern, United States. This study used college choice theory, and relationship marketing for the theoretical foundation. Three research questions guided data collection and focused on how college students use social media during their college decision making process, how college students describe their parents and university-employed marketing staff's use of social media influenced college choice decisions, and how university-employed marketing staff use social media to influence first year students' college choice decisions? Sixty-five students completed the questionnaire. Twelve students participated in semistructured interviews and, seven university-employed marketing staff participated in a focus group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis through the use of initial and axial codes. Five themes emerged from data: Students interacted and observed information on social media to learn about academic and social activities related to campus life; Prospective students used social media to gather information and interact with others during the initial college search process, Peers, parents and university-employed marketing staff used social media as one source of their overall marketing strategy and created social media to influence student college choice decisions.