Future students’ expectations of higher education, and the relevance of one’s (un)realistic expectations for further academic success, are of growing importance in the context of contemporary needs for quality improvement in higher education. Research indicates that students’ perceptions and expectations regarding studies and academic life can influence their academic success, satisfaction with studies, as well as impact their decision to leave university. The research presented in this paper aims to investigate high school students’ expectations and perceptions regarding higher education and future studies. Participants were 1259 third and fourth-grade high school students planning to continue their education at universities. The paper presents qualitative and quantitative analyses of open-ended questions which were assorted in numerous categories, subjected to further statistical analysis. Results indicate that the majority of high school students hold the belief that academic studies require more effort and that the concept of academic studies, regarding the structure of lectures, greatly differs from the one in high schools. On the other hand, a surprisingly small number of high school students expect to gain advanced knowledge at the university and get better opportunities for employment after graduation. It has been concluded that there are significant statistical differences among high school students regarding their expectations, depending on their gender, age, type of high school they are attending, as well as their hometown. The results were discussed concerning their relevance for enabling an easier transition from high school to university, providing better adaptation to university life and preventing dropping out from university
Encountering Adulthood
