Utilizing survey data from the 2010, 2014, and 2016 China family panel studies, this study examined the relationship between the social discrimination experienced at high school and college enrollment. It was found that administrative discrimination, such as unfair treatment from government cadres or arbitrary fee collection, negatively affected…

According to sociological rational choice theory, students' class-specific educational decisions at key transition points significantly contribute to educational and social inequalities. Yet, while theory missed to clearly accentuate all relevant actors' influences on students' decisions, research generally failed to adequately empirically account…

Most high school reform efforts understandably focus on boosting the success of low-income students who are underachieving academically, but in every school district where students struggle, there are academically capable low-income and minority students who do graduate prepared for college. Yet each year, many of these students choose to attend…

The debate about high school reform is increasingly focused on the role of career-technical education (CTE) in helping to prepare "all" students for success in "both" postsecondary education and the workforce. The stand-alone vocational courses into which high school students with lower academic achievement were often channeled…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how students at Henry Lord Middle School in Fall River take into consideration their initial college and career aspirations when making their decision for high school. Self-efficacy theory, critical theory, and a literature review related to high school decision-making inform the analysis of…

The authors examine the factors that influence the college choice process of two-year college students and explore the effect these variables have on the two-year/four-year college choice dichotomy, using the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) of 1995-96 and the Beginning Postsecondary (BPS) component of that survey. This study…

This handbook is a year-by-year planning guide to college preparatory activities for high school students and it begins with the 9th grade. These topics are included: (1) introduction to planning and the decision-making process; (2) educational and occupational alternatives; (3) considerations in choosing a college; (4) types of academic…

Targeted to teens at-risk for early motherhood and dropping out of school, as well as to teachers, counselors, and parents, this video encourages teens to delay motherhood by underscoring the link between goal-setting and education. The 24-minute film features seven urban high school students speaking about the importance of education and the…

This study examined how a group of 20 Chicana high school seniors made decisions about college. The majority of Chicanas in this study noted that they are not able to rely on their parents as information sources given their parents' lack of familiarity with the college choice process. As a result, these students were not able to receive…

Examined first and second generation college attenders and their parents, approaching the college selection process. Students and parents completed questionnaires on attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and attributes. Parents who did not attend college emphasized cost, academic reputation, and personal attention; their offspring, social activities.…

The formation of educational preferences was analyzed using log-linear modeling and data from a survey of nearly 4,000 applicants for higher education in Finland in the policy context of new vocational-higher education institutions. High status orientation was the main factor determining the choice of university sector. (SLD)

This handbook is designed for student use in exploring the opportunities and challenges available in community colleges or four-year institutions. It could also be used by students interested in attending vocational-technical schools. The table of contents is designed as a checklist so that the booklet can be used as part of decision making. Part…

This book seeks to provide educators, parents, employers, and communities with specific strategies to help teenagers pinpoint the disparity between their preconceived career notions and aspirations, and the realities of the new economic and labor markets. This book advocates helping students develop a plan for career success, which may or may not…

Examined the perceptions of 70 urban and suburban African-American students regarding the influences on their decision making to participate or not participate in higher education. Findings show the importance of racial and cultural considerations and highlight the need for studying students' perceptions. (SLD)

A qualitative study of attitudes of African American high school students on the economic aspects of the decision to attend or not attend college concluded that these students factored in both the expected costs and any future earnings, recognizing both the job market limitations faced by African Americans and their personal desires for wealth.…