Abstract

This study investigated the reasons affecting school choice for students who transferred to the University of the East (UE) (TUE) and UE students who transferred to other universities (TOU) through an exploration of institutional image indicators and perception of the computing degree programs. It also determined the marketers and influencers inmaking such decisions. Study results revealed that most TUE were second-year college students (mean age = 19), male (f = 26, 76%), living in Manila (f = 9, 30%) or Quezon City (f = 9, 30%), members of middle-income families (Php 50,000 and below, f = 22, 73%), and living in family-owned houses (f = 22, 73%). In the study sample, nineteen TUE did not change their degree programs, and eleven TUE changed their degree programs. All of the eleven TUE reported that interest in computing was the primary reason for changing degree programs. Friends were their main source of information about UE, and TUE made their own decisions to attend this university. Tuition fee was the main reason that they transferred to UE. In comparison, the majority of TOU were second-year students (mean age = 18), male (f = 30, 83%), living in Manila (f = 10, 28%) and Quezon City (f = 11, 31%), members of middle-income families (Php 50,000 and below, f = 25, 69%), and living in family-owned houses (f = 22, 61%). TOU were equally divided in retaining and changing their degree programs. No interest in programming (f = 9, 50%) was the main reason that TOU changed programs. For this group, parents were the primary source of information about UE, and students reported making their own decisions to transfer to other schools. Inaccessibility of UE was their main reason for transferring to other schools. Nonetheless, both TUE and TOU preferred UE, but the former indicated higher preference for the university. Practical implications of this study and recommendations for further research are also presented.