A small but interesting study of prospective students' impressions of university websites is discussed in this Guardian article. ALthough it focussed on UK university websites it provides some valuable insights into how high school students use university websites and what they are looking for.
The students in this survey were in the first year of A-level courses at Long Road sixth form college in Cambridge and Cambridge Regional College, and had not yet engaged in the applications process - the researchers were after fresh eyes. They were asked for their first impressions: was the site visually attractive, with a good balance of text and pictures? Did it give a good feel for the institution? Did they agree: "This is a cool site"? Was it easy to find their way around?
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