Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Kimberly F. Case

Second Advisor

Skip Trudeau

Third Advisor

Drew Moser

Abstract

During the college recruitment process, prospective students develop expectations of what college life will be like at an institution. They use information and messages provided by an institution’s admissions team to speculate what they will experience when they enroll. However, some students enter college with expectations that are not accurate to the experiences they have. These unmet expectations from students can lead to dissatisfaction with an institution and eventually retention issues. This study examines how the marketing and recruitment process may influence incoming student expectations related to sense of belonging, academics, and faith development prior to enrolling at a faith-based institution. Using a qualitative descriptive approach and data collected through a survey, this study examined how the expectations students develop compare with their actual college experiences. Findings suggest that the recruitment process provided clear messaging and accurate information that generally helped students develop realistic expectations for their actual college experience.

Download

Share

COinS