Abstract:
This study draws attention to the role of similarly educated parents
in their children’s university choice. We conceptualise, develop, and
empirically test a model that links university choice with parents’
intention to recommend the university and university brand
preference that stems from their own experiences during the
university evaluation stage. Data from 339 parents of prospective
university students were collected and analysed using structural
equation modelling. The findings reveal that parents’ experience
with university staff, perception of other parents, and quality of
university facilities affect parents’ satisfaction. The results suggest
that parents satisfied with a university are more likely to
recommend that university to their children and prefer the
university brand. These two constructs were found to influence
university choice for those parents with non-similar education to
a university programme. For parents with similar education to a
university programme, only parents’ university brand preference
influences university choice.
