Student Profiles and the Reasons why they Prefer Private Universities

This survey research describes the profile of students who attend private higher education and explores the reasons why they prefer to study at private universities in Turkey. In this study private universities are ranked as “high- ranking middle- ranking and low- ranking” so that it will be possible to make comparisons between them which enable us to understand varying dynamics of Turkish private higher education. Initially this book draws the picture of students profile studying at three different ranks of universities by demonstrating their selected characteristics such as their age socioeconomic status and gender. Then it moves to whether the students’ characteristics show differences according to three ranks of universities and student status (scholarship/non-scholarship students). In the second place the reasons why these students prefer to study at private universities and whether these reasons differ according to three ranks of universities and student status are analyzed.Based on the findings it is possible to conclude that students characteristics differ depending on the ranks of universities and student status.