Students’ trajectories through higher education: a review of quantitative research

Abstract

With the increasing availability of high-quality longitudinal data on students in higher education, scholars' interest in how students proceed through higher education has risen. So far, the research field is diverse in theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. Thus, based on 27 studies published in (higher) education research journals during the past two decades, this literature review provides an overview of the theoretical concepts, methodologies and main empirical findings in the study of students' trajectories in higher education. The results depict a US dominated research field. Most theoretical frameworks are based on student's decision-making. Across different country contexts and research designs-ranging from descriptions of student trajectories to studies predicting who engages in which types of trajectories to sequential trajectory reconstruction-we found that historically disadvantaged groups in higher education such as students from low social origin follow less linear and less smooth higher education trajectories. However, while the field of comparative education is growing steadily and may significantly contribute to explaining the link between the realization of students' opportunities and the way how higher education is designed and implemented both on the national and local level, there were no crosscountry comparison studies on higher education trajectories.

Do students need more information to leave the beaten paths? The impact of a counseling intervention on high school students’ choice of major

“…Our analyses contribute to previous research in numerous ways. At the most general level, they deepen our understanding of the determinants of choice of major in general and gender segregation in particular (Barone & Assirelli, 2020;Chang & ChangTzeng, 2020;Haas & Hadjar, 2020). Moreover, they build on and extend the evaluation literature that assesses the effectiveness of policy interventions for high school students.…”

Non-Traditional Students, University Trajectories, and Higher Education Institutions: A Comparative Analysis of Face-to-Face and Online Universities

“…In response to this complexity, an increasing number of studies have been incorporating a longitudinal perspective that considers the university experience as a long and broad educational trajectory (Haas & Hadjar, 2019;Robinson, 2004). In this regard, a longitudinal analysis of student trajectories enables us to consider the diversity of HEIs and the growing diversity of student profiles.…”

Gender Equity in STEM in Higher Education

“…However, it remains difficult to disentangle the actual reasons for sustained gender differences in STEM empirically (Isphording & Qendrai, 2019). In future research, scholars will need to use multiple data sources and methods, including sequential analyses of progression or trajectories (Haas & Hadjar, 2019) to investigate why women are underrepresented in STEM. Higher education research in Germany faces three problems that need to be tackled for a more in-depth explanation for student drop-out: definition and measurement of drop-out; clarification of the individual, institutional, and social causes; and dangers of above-average dropout of specific risk groups (here, women in STEM) (Heublein, 2014).…”