University choice factors: a case of two types of higher education in the third-largest island in the world

Most universities in Indonesia can be categorized as general higher education (GHE) and Islamic higher education (IHE). This study aimed to investigate and compare the factors influencing the selection of GHE and IHE on Kalimantan Island, the third-largest island in the world. This study used convenience sampling techniques to determine participants. There are 344 GHE students and 152 IHE students. A questionnaire was used to collect data, which was then distributed online and evaluated using independent sample t-test results to identify differences between GHE and IHE. This research found that reputation and quality are the most critical factors in selecting a college. When choosing a college, GHE students are more of a university's reputation and quality focus. It means GHE students are more career-focused than IHE students. This study found that men prefer the scale and structure of the campus over women. Therefore, we did not find statistically significant differences between men and women in choosing a university. This study suggests that higher education, particularly IHE, should adapt university development to the labor market's needs and student candidates' needs.