Psychological Factors Affecting a Decision Making to Study at Christian University of Thailand of First Year Student in Academic Year 2010

Abstract

          This research aimed to study the psychological factors affective a decision making to study at Christian University of Thailand of the first year students in academic year 2010 and to study the causes of the decision making to study at their present faculties as well as the reasons of deciding to study at this university. Also, it aimed to study the channels, which they realize about Christian University of Thailand. This research was the quantitative research by using the questionnaires as tools for collecting the data. The sample consisted of 276 freshmen of every faculty of academic year 2010. The researcher used the proportional stratified random sampling and collected the data by the accidental random sampling. Then, the software program was used for data analysis to obtain the frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation.

          The results revealed that the freshmen, mostly, were female that lived in the Northeast of Thailand, and graduated in science and mathematics with grade point average at 2.51 - 3.00. Most of them studied in the Faculty of Nursing. Their parents were farmers and the incomes were under 10,000 Baht per month. Their parents were responsible for the tuition fees and other expenditures of these students.

          The factors which influenced the decision making of the students to study in their present faculties were the future career stability, their personal attention, and their parents' decision. Regarding their reasons for studying at Christian University of Thailand, there were three main reasons i.e. the faculty and its major subject confirmed to their needs, the university were well - known to public and the lecturers had high experience and expertise.

          According to the psychological factors affective the decision making to study at this university, it found that the ability and attention factor, as well as the motivation factor from social and environment were highly significant. After graduation, they, mostly, expected to work in the field of public health and needed the salary about 10,001 - 20,000 per month. Besides, they would like to work in the careers that had high security and permanent salary e.g. government official or state enterprise official.

          On the whole, factor to access to information of the university was very important. Most of them perceived information about Christian University of Thailand prior to making decision to study at this university. The top three channels were the university's billboard, the university's website and the introduction from other persons respectively.