HIGH SCHOOL SELECTION DECISION: CONJOINT ANALYSIS

Abstract

As the education market grows increasingly competitive, it is crucial for education policymakers  to develop a better understanding of prospective students' preferences when choosing an institution. With limited resources in the current economic climate, education policy makers must maximize the effectiveness of their efforts to attract prospective students. To achieve this, education policymakers need to be keenly aware of the priorities and significant factors that influence a prospective student's decision in selecting a high school to attend. The purposes of this study were (1) to identify major factors influencing students in their choice of a high school, (2) to investigate the relative importance attached to high school selection attributes, and (3) to compare the personal characteristics of students who prefer a given high school selection.

Initially, focus group interviews were conducted with 20 grade 10 students from four selected high schools in Bangkok. A total of four focus group sessions took place, each group consisting of five participants, to determine the appropriate set of attributes and levels for the conjoint experiment. For the conjoint experiment, a sample comprising 246 respondents was purposively chosen from grade 10 students from four selected high schools in Bangkok. The finding revealed the following: 1) the four most important attributes for selecting a high school were, in order of importance, technology infrastructure, commuting convenience, school reputation, and advice from others, 2) students from families with average monthly incomes higher than 60,000 baht place more emphasis on academic reputation than students from families with an average monthly income between 20,001-60,000 baht and less than 20,000 baht, and 3) students whose families have an average monthly income from 20,000 to 60,000 baht tend to prioritize the convenience of commuting to school more than those whose families earn an average monthly income higher than 60,000 baht.

These results have several implications for high school policymakers seeking to understand the factors shaping elementary students' choice of high school. Policymakers can better tailor high school offerings and support Technology Infrastructure to meet the needs and aspirations of prospective students.