Identification of factors influencing matriculation decisions by dental school applicants

Recent dental school surveys have indicated a slight decrease in the overall number of dental school applicants. As a result, competition for the most highly qualified students is increasing among dental schools. A number of factors may contribute to an applicant's decision on where to matriculate, such as tuition costs, cost of living in an area, location of the dental school, reputation, availability of financial aid, and the school's facilities. Identifying the reasons why students choose to attend a specific school may be an important first step in formulating a strategic plan for recruitment. As a result, a survey was sent to all students (250) interviewed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine for the 2000-01 admissions cycle. The results of this survey were compared to a similar survey sent following the 1994-95 admissions cycle. In addition, the results of the University of Pittsburgh surveys were compared to a similar survey conducted by a different northeastern dental school. The factors rated most important in 1994-95 were reputation, facilities, and location, in order. In 2000-01, location, curriculum, tuition, and reputation were rated the most important factors, in order. This information may assist admissions officers in formulating an effective recruitment strategy for the most highly qualified applicants.