In order to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market, this university needed to understand how prospective students were making their choices and how it compared to competitors.

Research showed that the availability of scholarships and financial aid was one of the most important choice factors to students who are looking into BSN programs. Another important choice factor was the ability to start coursework shortly after acceptance, giving students a sense of a head start.

The type of environment that students look for in a BSN program was also an important factor. Learning in a simulated real-world environment was a much more appealing attribute of a BSN program compared to the access to cutting-edge technology or undertaking research in modern facilities.

Important differences were discovered amongst segments of applicants based on level of interest in Nursing programs. For example, those who are looking for information on BSN programs and are earlier in their decision journey are more likely to seek advice from friends, family, and colleagues in the industry. This is also affected by age considering that people who are aged 18-24 are most likely to be either enrolled or considering a BSN but have not started searching compared to those who are 25 and older and are more likely to be actively researching and applying to programs.