Comparative study of black and white urban student decisions to attend the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

Abstract

Colleges and universities are currently dealing with the problem of declining enrollment. Population decline, the economy and a consumer-like approach to college education have contributed to the problem. In addition, many schools are still having difficulty increasing minority enrollment.

Many colleges and universities have successfully borrowed the concept of marketing from the business world to help provide a better understanding of the real and perceived needs and wants of the potential student. A marketing survey was developed to study the degree of importance specific influences (personal and nonpersonal) had on black and white urban students' decisions to attend UW-La Crosse.

Twenty seven black students and sixty nine white students, enrolled at UW-La Crosse during the Fall 1980 semester, participated in the survey. It consisted of seventeen personal influence and fifteen nonpersonal influence statements which the students were asked to rank on a scale of 0-3 as to the degree of importance each statement had in their decision to attend UW-La Crosse.

The study indicated that there are basic differences between the black and white students in terms of factors influencing their decision to attend UW-La Crosse. In addition, the black and white students indicated that nonpersonal influences were of more importance than personal influences in making their decision. The black students, however, indicated that personal influences were more important to them than they were to the white students.