2017-09-142017-09-142017-082017-08August 201http://hdl.handle.net/2346/73158This thesis geographically analyzes the Western Texas College District Service Area. Chapter 1 introduces how this specific thesis began. Chapter 2 evaluates the reasons that are important to students in general when selecting a college in which to enroll and also considers factors that influence them to enroll at a specific institution. Chapter 3 evaluates the history of Western Texas College. It shows that much has been done to develop a student body after overcoming many obstacles to building up the institution. The Chapter 4 confirms the presence of a minimal population for the institution to draw upon for a student body and confirms that the institution is at a disadvantage when compared to the neighboring institutions in regard to the service area from which it draws students. The remaining chapters present how this thesis fits into the literature by offering a new approach, geographical analysis and methodology, and the findings of the analysis. The findings indicate that those from a home located near the institution will primarily enroll due to financial concerns and geographic proximity while those from farther away primarily enroll due to athletic programs offered by the institution. Those findings are robust across all age, race, sex, and grade classifications in addition to comparable parts of the prior literature. Finally, in light of the findings, recommendations for future research and suggestions for how the institution in question might address the limitations of its Designated Service Area are presented.application/pdfengHigher educationEnrollmentThesis2017-09-14Unrestricted.