Analysis of the application of data mining clustering model in the selection of the best study program based on student interests at the University of Aceh Province

Limited student capacity at State Universities (PTN) in Aceh provides opportunities for Private Universities (PTS) in Aceh to hold lectures at universities. It provides opportunities for private universities, institutes, colleges, academies, and other polytechnics in student admissions. Marketing strategies in doing promotions are needed to be able to attract students to enroll in the college. Instead, the promotion strategy must be on target effectively and efficiently. Therefore, a model is needed in looking at the grouping of students who are most widely accepted in the study program and the origin of the school. This is to facilitate the campus in carrying out promotional strategies to schools that contribute the most students to private universities in Aceh such as al-Muslim and uniki universities. The existence of this problem requires a system in looking at the grouping patterns that are most widely accepted to private universities based on schools and study program interests. Furthermore, a model is needed to make the student's interest strategy in looking at the study program in demand so that private universities can prepare strategies in conducting promotions going forward and the funds allocated for promotion can be used appropriately. Data taken at the time of the study can be seen from each school that contributed as much students to historical data starting from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 2020, which then the data was taken from each college. The results of this study can also look at the grouping of schools that contribute a lot of students to each school and the pattern of grouping students most widely accepted by school and historical in previous years using the optimal pattern of number of clusters with the average silhoutewidth method in looking at the distribution of students who have been in college The results of the k-means research analysis of the application of the Data Mining Clustering Model in the Selection of the Best Study Programs Based on Student Interests at the University, the results of cluster 1: the minimum average in the number of students spending per year is 7 people, max 12 people, cluster 2: per year is 2 people, max 5 people, cluster 3: 26 people per year, max 31 people, cluster 4: minimum average of 15 people, max 20 people.