PENGARUH FAKTOR SOSIAL DAN CITRA MEREK TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN MAHASISWA MEMILIH KULIAH DI FAKULTAS PERTANIAN UNIVERSITAS ISLAM SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN MELALUI SIKAP SEBAGAI VARIABEL INTERVENING

Abstract

Decision to choose a university is generally made by most of the students who have completed
their study at the Senior High Schools. The small number of state universities in Indonesia has provided
an opportunity for private universities to be chosen by students who fail to enter state universities. One of
the private universities in Medan is Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara (UISU) and one of the faculties in
this university is the Faculty of Agriculture. In the period of 2012-2015, there was the decrease in the
number of new students at this faculty. Some factors which are assumed to influence students decision to
choose higher education are social factor, brand image, and attitude. The objective of the research was
to find out and to analyze the influence of social factor and brand image on students decision to choose
the Faculty of Agriculture UISU Medan with attitude as intervening variable. The research was an
explanatory research. The samples were 133 students, taken by using proportional random sampling
technique. The data were analyzed by using path analysis with an SPSS software program. The result of
the research showed that social factor had positive and significant influence on students attitude in
choosing the Faculty of Agriculture, UISU, Medan, it had positive and significant influence on students
decision to choose the Faculty of Agriculture, UISU, Medan, it indirectly had positive and significant
influence on students decision to choose the Faculty of Agriculture, UISU, Medan, through attitude as
intervening variable. Brand image had positive and significant influence on students attitude in choosing
the Faculty of Agriculture, it had positive and significant influence on students decision to choose the
Faculty of Agriculture, UISU, Medan, it indirectly had positive and significant influence on students
decision to choose the Faculty of Agriculture, UISU, Medan, through attitude as intervening variable,
and attitude had positive and significant influence on students decision to choose the Faculty of
Agriculture, UISU, Medan.