Effects and Limitations of University Information Disclosure: A Study on the Impact on Prospective Students' University Choice

Abstract

It is important for universities to disclosure sufficient information for educational outcomes and quality to prevent prospective students from being disappointed after they start. However, the disclosure of the aforementioned information, which are strongly demanded by the "Educational Management Guidelines," is not yet sufficient. In order to improve the disclosure of university information, this study aims to clarify the impact of educational information on university choices of prospective students. We conducted a questionnaire survey targeting university students to examine whether the information required to be disclosed by universities was perceived at the time of university selection and to what extent this information was helpful in making their university choices. Results showed that the perception of university educational information was overall low, but for the information that was perceived, it was generally shown to help make career choices. Besides, differences in respondents' attributes such as post-graduation career aspirations, academic fields at the university, and entrance exam formats also showed variations in perception and usefulness. These results imply the value of the information provided for prospective students to choose the college and the major academic field.