An assessment of strategic factors that influence student choice: A case of Kabarak University

This study assessed the influence of strategic factors on students’ choice of Kabarak University. The study considered the following specific objectives; to determine the enrolment trends at Kabarak University, to determine the extent to which financial factors influence the students’ choice of Kabarak University, to determine the extent to which marketing factors influence the students’ choice of Kabarak University. It adopted Census method to select the six (6) members of management, while systematic random sampling technique was used to select two hundred and eighty (280) students to whom questionnaires were administered. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis was used to analyse the data. The questionnare was the main instrument used for data collection. The study found out those financial factors such as, flexible fees payment policy influenced students’ choice to the university more than more than the martketing factors such as product development. The paper recommends that to improve enrolment in the University, there is need to recognize the fact that Kabarak university enrolment is declining and thus the University should design, implement and evaluate all inclusive change strategies. Secondly, the University should put more emphasis on the finacial factor that mostly influenced students to the University. Fee payment policy should be made very flexible to attract more students from needy and poor families.