College choice in the United States - Statistics & Facts

Selecting a college is a major life decision that many high school seniors face every year. Prospective college students have no shortage of decisions as of 2017, there were 4,313 higher education institutions across the country. Many factors influence a student's decision when choosing a college, some of which include cost of attendance, location, majors offered, and size. Furthermore, students must endure a rigorous admissions process, which includes standardized testing scores, grades, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. In 2017, colleges and universities that accepted less than 50 percent of applicants received about 37 percent of applications nationally. Following acceptances from the colleges students applied to, then starts the tough decision-making process.

Share of students who used college websites to inform themselves about colleges: 47%

Share of students who considered the cost of attending a college the most important factor in deciding: 63%

Share of enrolled students who spent one to two years on college research: 27%

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Distribution of submitted college applications in the United States in 2017, by school selectivity

Educational Institutions & Market

U.S. college application submission share, by school selectivity in 2017

Average number of submitted college applications per institution in the United States in 2017, by school selectivity

Educational Institutions & Market

Number of U.S. college application submissions, by school selectivity in 2017

Share of colleges attributing "considerable importance" to recruitment strategies in the United States in fall 2018

Educational Institutions & Market

Share of U.S. colleges using recruitment strategies in fall 2018

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Search process

Premium Statistic Top 10 most important factors in deciding upon a specific college in the U.S. in 2015
Top 10 most important factors in deciding upon a specific college in the U.S. in 2015
The top ten most important factors considered in deciding upon a specific college in the United States in 2015
Premium Statistic Factors influencing student choice of college in the U.S. in 2015, by aid status
Factors influencing student choice of college in the U.S. in 2015, by aid status
Distribution of factors that had an influence on student choice of college in the United States in 2015, by Pell Grant status
Premium Statistic Information sources used by students to learn about colleges in the U.S. in 2015
Information sources used by students to learn about colleges in the U.S. in 2015
Sources of information most often used to learn about colleges by students in the United States in 2015
Premium Statistic Information source helpfulness used by U.S. students in 2015
Information source helpfulness used by U.S. students in 2015
Helpfulness of information sources regarding studies in the United States in 2015
Premium Statistic College website visit frequency by students during college search in U.S. in 2015
College website visit frequency by students during college search in U.S. in 2015
Frequency of visiting college websites by students during their college search in the United States in 2015
Premium Statistic Number of colleges applied to by current and prospective students in the U.S. in 2015
Number of colleges applied to by current and prospective students in the U.S. in 2015
Distribution of number of colleges applied to in the United States in 2015, by enrollment status
Premium Statistic When college search began in the U.S. in 2015, by enrollment status
When college search began in the U.S. in 2015, by enrollment status
Share of starting times for college search in the United States as of 2015, by enrollment status

Admissions & attendance

Premium Statistic U.S. college application submission share, by school selectivity in 2017
U.S. college application submission share, by school selectivity in 2017
Distribution of submitted college applications in the United States in 2017, by school selectivity
Premium Statistic Number of U.S. college application submissions, by school selectivity in 2017
Number of U.S. college application submissions, by school selectivity in 2017
Average number of submitted college applications per institution in the United States in 2017, by school selectivity
Premium Statistic Acceptance and attendance at first-choice college, by student generation status 2016
Acceptance and attendance at first-choice college, by student generation status 2016
Acceptance and attendance rates of freshmen at first-choice colleges in the United States in 2016, by student generation
Premium Statistic Choice of college attendance, by high school type in the U.S. in 2015
Choice of college attendance, by high school type in the U.S. in 2015
College choice attendance rate of students in the United States in 2015. by high school type
Premium Statistic Share of full-time first-time undergrads in the U.S. in 2017, by school selectivity
Share of full-time first-time undergrads in the U.S. in 2017, by school selectivity
Share of full-time first-time degree seeking undergraduates in the United States in 2017, by school selectivity
Premium Statistic Full and part-time enrollment in colleges and universities in the U.S. in 2015
Full and part-time enrollment in colleges and universities in the U.S. in 2015
Distribution of full and part-time enrollment in colleges and universities in the United States in 2015
Basic Statistic U.S. online/physical colleges and programs chosen by students in 2015
U.S. online/physical colleges and programs chosen by students in 2015
Share of current and prospective students who chose online or physical colleges and programs in the United States in 2015

Recruitment & marketing

Premium Statistic Communication method usage for marketing/recruitment at private U.S. colleges 2018
Communication method usage for marketing/recruitment at private U.S. colleges 2018
Share of usage of communication methods for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment communication method effectiveness at private U.S. college 2018
Marketing/recruitment communication method effectiveness at private U.S. college 2018
Share of effectiveness of communication methods for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Event usage for marketing/recruitment at 4-year private U.S. colleges 2018
Event usage for marketing/recruitment at 4-year private U.S. colleges 2018
Share of event types used for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment event effectiveness at 4-year private U.S. colleges 2018
Marketing/recruitment event effectiveness at 4-year private U.S. colleges 2018
Share of effectiveness of events for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Advertising channel usage for marketing/recruitment at private U.S. colleges 2018
Advertising channel usage for marketing/recruitment at private U.S. colleges 2018
Share of advertising channels used for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment advertising method effectiveness at private U.S. colleges 2018
Marketing/recruitment advertising method effectiveness at private U.S. colleges 2018
Share of effectiveness of advertising channels for marketing and recruitment at four-year private higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Communication method usage for marketing/recruitment at public U.S. colleges 2018
Communication method usage for marketing/recruitment at public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of usage of communication methods for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment communication method effectiveness at public U.S. colleges 2018
Marketing/recruitment communication method effectiveness at public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of effectiveness of communication methods for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Event usage for marketing/recruitment at 4-year public U.S. colleges 2018
Event usage for marketing/recruitment at 4-year public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of event types used for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment event effectiveness at 4-year public U.S. colleges 2018
Marketing/recruitment event effectiveness at 4-year public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of effectiveness of events for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Advertising channel usage for marketing/recruitment at public U.S. colleges 2018
Advertising channel usage for marketing/recruitment at public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of advertising channels used for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Marketing/recruitment advertising method effectiveness at public U.S. colleges 2018
Marketing/recruitment advertising method effectiveness at public U.S. colleges 2018
Share of effectiveness of advertising channels for marketing and recruitment at four-year public higher education institutions in the U.S. in 2018
Premium Statistic Share of U.S. colleges using recruitment strategies in fall 2018
Share of U.S. colleges using recruitment strategies in fall 2018
Share of colleges attributing "considerable importance" to recruitment strategies in the United States in fall 2018

Social media & mobile usage

Premium Statistic Primary computing device used by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Primary computing device used by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Share of primary computing device used for college research by high school students in the United States in 2016
Premium Statistic Information desired from college websites by U.S. students 2020
Information desired from college websites by U.S. students 2020
Distribution of information students look for when visiting websites for colleges in the United States in 2020
Premium Statistic Mobile actions taken by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Mobile actions taken by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Share of actions taken on mobile by high school students researching college in the United States in 2016
Premium Statistic Mobile college website visits by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Mobile college website visits by students to research college in the U.S. in 2016
Distribution of college website visits via mobile device by high school students researching college in the United States in 2016
Premium Statistic Communication frequency preference of students researching college, by contact method
Communication frequency preference of students researching college, by contact method
Distribution of communication frequency preferred by high school students researching colleges in the United States in 2016, by contact method
Premium Statistic Share of college app download reasons by students researching college U.S. 2016
Share of college app download reasons by students researching college U.S. 2016
Distribution of possible reasons for downloading a college app by students researching colleges in the United States in 2016
Premium Statistic Social media usage frequency by students researching college in the U.S. in 2016
Social media usage frequency by students researching college in the U.S. in 2016
Distribution of social media usage frequency by high school students when researching colleges in the United States in 2016
Premium Statistic Social media usage by students researching colleges in the U.S. 2013-2016
Social media usage by students researching colleges in the U.S. 2013-2016
Distribution of social media usage by high school students when researching colleges in the United States from 2013 to 2016
Premium Statistic Official college social media account posts' relevance to college searchers U.S. 2016
Official college social media account posts' relevance to college searchers U.S. 2016
Distribution of college social media postings' relevance according to high school students researching colleges in the United States in 2016

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