Factors determining the choice of the University by French applicants

Abstract

This research is carried out within the framework of comparative sociological and psycholinguistic research of motives of choosing a University and a city for studying among French and Russian applicants. The article examines the factors influencing this choice, namely: the French legislation that provides all applicants with the right to higher education, the increasing number of school children completing their education with the ‘baccalaureat' diploma, the difference in terms of admission to universities and Grandes Ecoles, different on-line platforms, allowing to select a university, dormitories or other living facilities. The article is mainly based on data from French statistical studies and recent press. The analysis of online platforms «Admission post Bac» and «Parcours plus» showed a number of contradictory factors with which French higher education is facing. Thus, the need to give each applicant the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right for higher education conflicts with the need to reduce drop-out rates and improve academic performance among first year students; in spite of the increased number of schoolchildren successfully finishing school, the funding of higher education per student is constantly decreasing; it is physically impossible to accept all comers for training programs in demanded specialties, and the desire of applicants to study in large cities is broken about the lack of dormitories in them. Finally, public rejection of any selection coexists with the rating of schools and lyceums and the elitism of the system of higher schools. All these factors should be taken into account when compiling questionnaires for French students. Acknowledgment: The study was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the framework of the scientific project No. 18-510-22001.