Document Type
Thesis
First Faculty Advisor
Alicia Lamere
Second Faculty Advisor
Allison Butler
Keywords
post-graduate decision; perception; expected life outcomes; outcome expectations; career decision-making self-efficacy
Publisher
Bryant University
Rights Management
CC-BY-NC-ND
Abstract
While technical education has been enhanced in many ways over the past few decades, college is still the preferred post-graduate path for many students and is the societal norm. This study will analyze the value that students view in their career path that leads them to make their post-graduate decisions. The goal of this research is to better understand why students pursue college and how these decisions come to be with specific attention paid to the impact of gender, interests, and self-efficacy. This understanding can educate others about the gravity of social norms and can start conversations about how to make both paths more accessible to students. This research will use a sample of 30 students from a college in New England. Evidence was found that students' perceptions of their parents' opinions are motivating their post-graduate decision-making. There was also evidence that gender of the student plays a role in this post-graduate decision-making.
Comments
This research is framed upon the idea that students will pursue the post-graduate path that they have a more positive perception of and expect to have the most positive life outcomes. This research may help to better understand how students make these decisions, especially considering the values that they hold.