Beyond Proximity: Investigating Learners’ Preference for Distant Schools Over Nearby Institutions

Accessibility has historically been regarded as a major factor in school selection. New trends indicate that learners are placing a higher value on other characteristics like academic standing, specialized programs and campus amenities. Despite the availability of nearby institutions, this study investigates the factors that influence learners’ preference for distant learning environments. This study helps to provide a more complex knowledge of learners’ preferences, so providing important consequences for educational institutions trying to draw and keep learners as well as for lawmaking bodies. The participants of the study are learners studying at Valencia National High School, Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines and Halapitan National High School, Halapitan, San Fernando, Bukidnon, Philippines who live in an area far from their chosen schools. The researcher used qualitative methods with descriptive phenomenology to conduct the study. Research data collection involved participants being interviewed to provide deeper understanding of individual motivations.