Students’ Top Factors in College Choice and Admissions: 2023

In 2023, there's no lack of controversy in college admissions.

College tuition and student debt are soaring, as potential students question what they really need in a program. Meanwhile, popular college rankings that could help inform students' choices have elicited controversy.

Nationally, fairness in college admissions is in the spotlight. The Supreme Court's affirmative action verdict and public backlash against legacy admissions beg questions — who gets into the college of their choice, why, and is it fair?

BestColleges surveyed 1,000 current undergraduate and graduate students for their insights on why they chose their schools and programs and what they think is fair in college admissions. This report reveals those findings.

College Choice: What Students Want in a School

Among various factors involving cost, enrollment, and admissions, students say the following are their most important factors in choosing a college: Affordability (53%), student outcomes (e.g., graduation rate, employment after graduation) (39%), and flexibility and accessibility (e.g., hybrid/online program formats offered) (36%).

The fewest students rank test-optional admissions policies (13%), return on investment (e.g., salary after graduation) (18%), and faculty resources (21%) among their top three factors.

College rankings or reputation (30%), ease of admissions (e.g., high admissions rate) (22%), and school size (number of students enrolled) (22%) land in the middle ranks.

Among different student populations, top and bottom factors are generally consistent with some slight variations.

For example, nearly half of millennials (46%) rank flexibility among their top three factors, compared to just 31% of Gen Z.

Additionally, 43% of Black students versus 53% of all students rank affordability in their top three factors. Affordability is the second-most important factor among Black students, behind student outcomes. Hispanic and Latino/a students rank flexibility as their second-most important factor (47%), above student outcomes (36%).

Return on Investment Falls to Bottom of Students' Rankings

Several research institutions and national college rankings have attempted to calculate college return on investment (ROI), basically boiling it down to what you pay for a degree versus what you get paid after graduation.

However, ROI falls toward the bottom of college students' top factors in our survey, with just 18% ranking it as a top factor in their decision to enroll. Undergraduates and graduate students are closely aligned: 17% percent of undergraduates and 21% of graduate students rank ROI as a top factor influencing their college choice.

Men (24%), business majors (22%), STEM majors (21%), and millennials (21%) are more likely than other students to say ROI factored into their college choice. By comparison, women (13%), humanities majors (14%), and Gen Z (16%) are less likely to rank ROI as a top factor.

Campus and Student Life Factors in College Choice

Among various factors involving campus and student life, students rank the following as their most important factors in choosing a college: location (47%), general student quality of life (38%), campus safety (33%), and diversity of student body (23%).

The fewest students rank Greek life (6%), religious affiliation of school (9%), party/social scene (10%), and politics or political stances of college (10%) among their top three factors.

Clubs, student organizations, extracurriculars (18%); student mental health services (17%); having friends who attended the college (16%); athletics (15%); and having family who attended the college (11%) land in the middle ranks.

Top and bottom factors are generally consistent among different student populations with some variation. For example:

• 21% of men versus 11% of women identify athletics in their top three factors.
• 36% of Gen Z, compared to 26% of millennials, rank campus safety among their top three factors.
• 45% of non-first-generation and 33% of first-generation students rank quality of life among their top three factors.

Perhaps surprisingly, there are no substantial differences between part-time and full-time students' rankings.

Also surprisingly, online/hybrid students are about as likely as on-campus students to rank location among their top three factors (47% vs. 48%). Additionally, online/hybrid students are more likely than on-campus learners to count student mental health services among their top three factors (20% vs. 14%)

How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Influence College Choice

Almost 1 in 4 students (23%) say student body diversity was a top factor in selecting their college or program.

Student body diversity is a top-three college choice factor for 26% of Black students, 25% of Hispanic and Latino/a students, and 17% of white students.

Students of some other races — including Asian, Asian American, or Asian Indian; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; Middle Eastern or Northern African; Native American, American Indian, or Alaska Native, and identities not listed — are nearly twice as likely as all students to rank student body diversity among their top three factors.

Collectively, 4 in 10 students of these races (40%) say that student body diversity was a top-three college choice factor.

Across the country, legislators have introduced dozens of bills threatening funding for DEI programming and offices. Students say removing these programs impacts their choice to enroll in or transfer from a college.

College Admissions: What Colleges Should Want in a Student

About 6 in 10 current students (63%) say that grades and academic transcripts should be one of the most important factors colleges should consider in admissions. In fact, grades are the only factor that a majority of students agreed should be most important to colleges.

Close to one-third of students say admissions essays (36%) and standardized test scores (33%) should be the most important factors for schools to consider when accepting applicants.

Students are least likely to say that a student's race or ethnicity (10%), legacy status (10%), or location (12%) should factor into colleges' admissions decisions.

Graduate students' opinions on what colleges should consider important differ from undergraduates' regarding one factor: work experience. For grad students, work experience jumps to the number two spot, with 32% of graduate students saying it should be important versus 21% of undergrads.

Additionally, LGBTQ+ students are more likely than students as a whole to say that community service and volunteer work (30%) and students' social/economic background (23%) should influence colleges' admissions decisions. Community service ranks number three on their list.

First-generation college students are less likely than non-first-generation students to say colleges should consider extracurricular activities most in admissions decisions (24% vs. 36%). Non-first-generation students say extracurricular activities count as the second most important factor, above standardized test scores.

Do Standardized Test Scores Matter?

While students rank standardized test scores among the most important factors colleges should consider in applicants, less than half (43%) say that standardized test scores are a good measure of college readiness.

Just under half of students say that standardized test scores in college admissions are fair (47%). And more than half (52%) say all schools should adopt a test-optional policy. Only 17% of students disagree.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities waived standardized testing requirements for admission. Since then, some schools have become permanently test-optional.

In our survey, 2 in 3 students (66%) say they were required to take a standardized test to qualify for admission to at least one school where they applied. Among those who tested, 56% say their score may have helped their chances of getting accepted to the school of their choice. However, 34% say their score may have hurt their chances.

College Admissions in the Age of AI

The number two factor students deem important for admissions offices to consider is the essay or personal statement. However, students are split on whether widely accessible generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, should be allowed on admissions essays and applications.

Most students (56%) think the use of AI tools on admissions essays gives some applicants an unfair advantage. Overall, half of students surveyed (50%) say colleges should screen for the use of AI in applications.

Additionally, students are skeptical about the prospect of colleges using AI in their admissions processes. Just 35% of students would trust admissions offices to use AI to help make admissions decisions.

Student Views on Legacy Admissions

One in 10 students say that legacy — having family who attended the university — should be a top factor in college admissions decisions. Forty-three percent say it should be one of the least important factors for colleges when considering an applicant.

Just 30% of students overall say that legacy admissions are fair. And while 32% believe that legacy admissions could have helped their chances of getting into the college of their choice, 46% say the practice may have hurt their chances.

Methodology

This survey was conducted from Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2023, and was fielded by Pure Spectrum. Survey participants included 1,000 respondents nationwide who were currently enrolled in an on-campus, online, or hybrid undergraduate or graduate degree program. Respondents were 17-49 years of age, with the majority (95%) ages 18-38, and currently pursuing an associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or professional degree. The respondents for the survey were screened by various quality checks, including systems like Relevant ID, and responses were manually reviewed to ensure consistency and accuracy.

For the college choice questions, we asked participants: (1) From the following factors involving cost, enrollment, and admissions, which were the most important when it came to choosing a college? (2) From the following factors involving student life, which were the most important when it came to choosing a college? For each question, participants were prompted to select three options from the factors listed in this report, including an other write-in option.

Regarding college admissions, we asked participants: (1) Which of the following factors do you think colleges should consider most when it comes to accepting an applicant? (2) Which of the following factors do you think colleges should consider least when it comes to accepting an applicant? For each, participants were prompted to select three options from the factors listed in this report, including an other write-in option and none of the above. No participants selected other, and 2% of participants selected none of the above.