Making the choice: University and program selection factors for undergraduate management education in Maritime Canada

• We surveyed 456 first-year students across four university business programs.
• Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify key selection factors.
• Differences in selection factors were found among female and male students.
• Differences in selection factors were found among local and out-of-region students.
• Customized recruitment methods would improve confirmation and enrollment rates.

This paper examines the criteria by which university students chose a particular university for their undergraduate management education. With a data set of 456 first-year millennial undergraduate business students, from four institutions located in Canada's Maritime Provinces, exploratory factor analysis helped identify the drivers of decision-making reported by females and males, and in-province and out of-province students. A MANOVA analysis found statistically significant differences in certain selection factors between females and males, and between in-province and out-of-province students. These results suggest that a contingency-based approach to the recruitment and admissions strategies of undergraduate university administration and recruitment officials may be beneficial in enhancing confirmation and enrollment rates.