Mapping their Road to University: First-Generation Students’ Choice and Decision of University

Abstract

This paper describes a qualitative case study that investigated the aspirations and decision-making process of first-generation students concerning university education. The participants comprised of 16 first-generation students at a research university. Data were obtained through interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis method. The analyses centered on extracting meaning from factors behind students' university decisions. The student accounts highlight five factors in the process of negotiating their decision to enter the university: personal motivation i.e. individual perceptions of their intellectual ability to meet their expectation of entering university; family-based motivation particularly the parents' socio-economic status and involvement in students education; the role played by siblings and extended family; characteristics and context of the school attended; social networks as a medium where the information of university was transferred. The paper suggests that students' decisions on university education are contextualized as part of a web of complex interactions. Decisions about university education involved interaction between an individual's agency and strong influences of third parties which provide suggestions for the school and higher education institutions to consider the best medium by which they can help to increase students' awareness of university education.

The Compatibility Student Choice of University Majoring; A Preliminary Studies

“…Keberhasilan siswa dalam proses pembelajaran di perguruan tinggi merupakan salah satu bentuk suksesnya penataan sistem pendidikan tinggi yang juga ditunjang oleh berbagai faktor pendukungnya. Kondisi aktivitas belajar merupakan salah satu faktor kuat yang menunjang kesuksesan belajar mahasiswa (Kim & Hwang, 2014;Kutty, 2014;Nyamwange, 2016;Sojkin, Bartkowiak, & Skuza, 2015). Lebih jauh, aktivitas belajar mahasiswa dimaksud akan sangat dipengaruhi oleh berminat atau tidaknya mahasiswa dengan jurusan yang saat ini mereka tempati (Albert & Garcı´a-Serrano, 2010;Daharnis dkk, 2011;Elliot, Kratochwill, Littlefield, & Travers, 1996;Erlamsyah dkk, 2011;Klein & Washburn, 2012;Kutty, 2014;Mupemhi, 2013;Pablolerchundi, Núñez-del-Río, & González-Tirados, 2015;Tereza, 2013;Timothy, 2010).…”

Professional Motivation Formation of Future Specialists under the Conditions of Regional Educational Complex

“…It reveals the problem to form early motivation of professional self-determination (Côté & Levine, 1997;Federici & Skaalvikm, 2014). At present time the interests, tendencies, requirements and abilities of students become a decisive factor while choosing one's professional activity (Kutty, 2014).…”

Unsuitable Majoring: Does the Reorientation Would Help the Student for Revitalize Learning Activities?

“…One of the main supporting factors that affect the success of education is learning activities [8]- [11]. Some research results indicate quite worrying conditions, both the condition of learning activities in primary, secondary education and higher education.…”

“…The success or failure of any learning activity is determined by the interest of the students in the major that occupied [8], [13]- [24]. The condition of the student's interest becomes an important concern to optimize learning activities in the universities [25]- [28].…”