Influence of Campus Recreation Facilities on Decision to Attend a Southeastern University: A Pilot Study

University students have numerous reasons why they select one institution over another. With all the extracurricular activities offered, academics are no longer the only reason considered by students when selecting a university to attend. Recreation facilities are quickly becoming a strong element in recruitment for many institutions. In a pilot study, 64 freshmen students of a southeastern university were surveyed to measure the influence campus recreation facilities had on their decision to attend that specific university. Roughly 80% of participants reported being informed about student recreation facilities prior to enrollment, with more than half of the respondents reporting they were impressed or very impressed with facilities. More than one in every three students stated their decision to attend the university was based in part on positive perceptions of recreation facilities. More than half of the students influenced by recreation facilities in their decision to attend the university were shown campus recreation facilities during a pre-enrollment campus tour. Results from this study show that campus recreation facilities may be used to influence students' decision on which university to attend. Implications and practical applications of this study are discussed in the closing sections.