This study explored the factors that motivate student parents to pursue post-secondary education. Student parents at four Canadian universities (n = 398) completed open-ended questions on their reasons for attending school in an online survey. Using Possible Selves Theory as a lens, we conducted a directed content analysis and found that student…

There is a long-standing debate over the value of certain postsecondary programs in facilitating employment after graduation. The National Graduate Survey (2005) was used to examine how graduates of various programs differ in their pursuits of higher education, employment status, job-program relatedness and job qualifications. Results suggest that…

In this paper, we exploit a rich longitudinal data set to explore the forces that, during high school, shape the development of aspirations to attend university and achieve academic success. We then investigate how these aspirations, along with grades and other variables, impact educational outcomes such as going to university and graduating. It…

The postsecondary experiences of adults diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) were examined in this qualitative research. Tinto's Student Integration Model (SIM) (1975, 1997) provided the theoretical framework that guided the study. Tinto posits that the interplay of background characteristics, academic integration, and social…

The study reviewed in this paper examined the impact of offering financial aid informational materials on the postsecondary expectations of high school students. Approximately 5,000 students from five low-achieving high schools in Ontario, Canada, were invited to complete an online survey about their postsecondary aspirations. About 1,600 students…

This paper explores the ability of students to achieve their optimistic educational scenario (aspirations) and to provide contextual information on the factors which may have influenced their failure to do so. With a large sample of approximately 20,000 respondents from a government longitudinal database, the authors have been able to further…

The "Where Did They Go?" study, co-funded by the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) and the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL), was designed to complement research undertaken under the auspices of the Student Transitions Project (STP) which has tracked the public post-secondary participation of BC high school graduates from…

This guide has been developed as a resource to be used by and with youth in grades 9-12 and beyond. It will help them consider the following questions: What am I good at? How do I know my options? Should I take a year off or apply for some post-secondary program? Structured around the newly designed High School Students tab on the Alberta Learning…

One of a series of studies based on data collected from 1,844 high school students in Canada, this study examined twelfth graders who indicated plans for some post high school training. The study focused on the educational plans of 541 rural and suburban students and the sociological factors relating to the realization of these plans the following…

The reasons that some high school graduates choose to continue their studies and others do not are not well understood. Certainly there is universal agreement about the benefits of post-secondary studies accruing to both students and society as a whole. Increasing levels of education are associated with, among other things, better job…

This paper presents data on Ontario's student mobility for 2006. This report found that the desire to obtain both a college and university credential in Ontario's postsecondary system is considerable. At least one quarter of college students have serious intentions of attaining a degree after a diploma. Currently, over 7% of Ontario's college…

The first in a series of 4 studies based on data collected from 1,844 high school students in Canada, this study examined eleventh and twelfth grade students from 2 rural Manitoba sample areas and from 2 large suburban high schools in metropolitan Winnipeg. This study focused on the educational and occupational aspiration levels and 10 selected…

The postsecondary plans and aspirations of twelfth grade students in Manitoba, Canada were surveyed in 1980. In addition to the general post-high school plans (college attendance, employment, and other options), specific information was obtained on their institutional and program choices if further schooling was to be pursued. The influence of…

Several data sources indicate that the desire to obtain both a college and university credential in Ontario's postsecondary system is considerable. Aspirations at the start of college are high, with at least one quarter of college students having serious intentions of attaining a degree after a diploma. Data sources include the College Student…

This report presents findings from the 2000 Youth in Transition Survey 18-20-year-old cohort, which documents Canadian youth education and labor market experiences. By age 20, most youth had graduated from high school, and 70 percent were participating in postsecondary education. Dropout rates were higher for males than females. High school…