School-to-University Transition: The Paradox of Motivated but Undecided Students

Educational research on university transitions has repeatedly highlighted that inequalities related to cultural origin still persist even though intergenerational upward mobility has been facilitated over the last fifteen years due to the huge enrollment rates documented across countries in the Western world. In contrast to this line of research in which differences between social or cultural groups are investigated, the unit of analysis in this article is a demographically homogeneous group of families in which the parents invest in university studies as the main route for their children’s post-18 pathways. Through a variable-based research design we explore the conditions which affect high-school students’ motives for following university studies. The main finding has to do with the fact that it is how late or early students make their decision that is the factor differentiating the families within this group and affecting the students’ transition to university.

Attitudes of medical students to general practice: a multinational cross-sectional survey

Background A shortage of general practitioners (GPs) is common to many European countries. To counteract this, it is essential to understand the factors that encourage or discourage medical students from choosing to become a GP Objective To evaluate medical students’ attitudes towards general practice and to identify factors that discourage them from considering a career as a GP. Methods In this multinational cross-sectional online survey, 29 284 students from nine German, four Austrian and two Slovenian universities were invited to answer a questionnaire consisting of 146 closed and 13 open-ended items. Results Of the 4486 students that responded (response rate: 15.3%), 3.6% wanted to become a GP, 48.1% were undecided and 34.6% did not want to be a GP. Significant predictors for interest in becoming a GP were higher age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–1.10], positive evaluation of the content of a GP’s work (OR = 4.44; 95% CI = 3.26–6.06), organizational aspects (OR = 1.42; 95% CI = 1.13–1.78), practical experience of general practice (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.08–2.56) and the country of the survey [Slovenian versus German students (Reference): OR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.10–4.38; Austrian versus German students (Reference): OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.32–0.79]. Conclusion Strategies to convince undecided students to opt for a career as a GP should include a positive representation of a GP’s work and early and repeated experience of working in a general practice during medical school.

First-Generation Students With Undecided Majors: A Qualitative Study of University Reacculturation

When they enter institutions of higher education, students typically leave behind one culture to join another. Despite the higher rates of attrition for first-generation students over continuing-generation students and undecided students over declared students, little research has been focused on undeclared first-generation students. To understand the challenges and experiences of first-generation undecided students transitioning to a new and unfamiliar academic environment, we applied a reacculturation process to this qualitative exploratory case study of 35 students. Data came from interviews, focus group interactions, observations, and written responses to open-ended questions, which were subsequently triangulated. Findings revealed heightened feelings of stress, desire to become comfortable on campus, reliance upon continuing-generation friends, helpfulness of a specialized first-year seminar course, and uncertainty about advisors' roles.

The Students’ Interest on the Use of Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy in Learning English Vocabulary

The learning should be supported by an interesting strategy to make students enjoyable and interested in learning, as well as in learning English Vocabulary. The aim of this research is to investigate and describe the students’ perceptions on the use of vocabulary self-collection strategy in Learning English vocabulary. This study was a descriptive model consisting of 37 subject-students. The data were collected with a questionnaire, it was rating scale which distributed after 8 meetings of treatments, and it covered 15 positive and closed statements about the use of vocabulary self-collection strategy in learning vocabulary classroom. The questionnaire was analyzed based on the percentage of each answer. To calculate questionnaire data into percentage, the researcher used the formula where the number of frequency is multiplied to 100% then divided to the number of the total respondents. The result of the students’ perceptions indicated that vocabulary self-collection strategy is interesting strategy used in learning vocabulary classroom. The highest rank of the mean score is 56.6% of agree students, 35.5% of strongly agree students, 6.7% of undecided students, 0.7% of disagree students, and 0.2% of strongly disagree to the statements on the questionnaire.

Need-Supportive Advising for Undecided Students

To explore the relationship between need-supportive advising and students' decision making on academic majors, we conducted a longitudinal study of 145 students based on their reports of basic psychological need satisfaction and their decision-making processes. We hypothesized that need-supportive advising would positively contribute to autonomous and competent decision making. Results suggest that students who receive need-supportive advising at the beginning of the academic year report increased feelings of autonomy and competence about choosing a major toward the end of the year, implying that advising satisfies students' basic psychological needs throughout the year. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Understanding the reacculturation experiences of first-generation, undecided students

When students enter institutions of higher education, they are typically leaving behind one culture to join another. First-generation students have a higher attrition rate as do undecided students, but little research has been conducted on students who have both characteristics. The researcher applied Bruffee's reacculturation process to understand the challenges and experiences that first-generation, undecided students have as they transition to a new academic environment. This qualitative, exploratory case study included 35 students utilizing interviews, focus groups, observations, and writings to triangulate the data collected. Findings revealed heightened feelings of stress, desire to become comfortable on campus, reliance upon continuing-generation friends, helpfulness of specialized first-year seminar course, and an uncertainty towards advisors' roles. Based upon research findings and framework, recommendations for practice are shared.

Academic Major Decidedness

The authors investigate how job-related beliefs, professors, and families influence major decidedness for undergraduate business students. When students are decided about their major, they can focus on studies, have clearer direction, and reduce the time and number of classes necessary to complete their degree. By understanding how business students decide their academic major, universities can better direct recruitment, guidance, and retention resources. Using survey data from 410 undergraduates, the authors link job-related beliefs to major decidedness and show when students are optimistic about career potential, job structure, and the people orientedness of the profession associated with their major they will be more decided about their major. The findings also confirm the effects of professors and families on academic major decidedness. The results offered herein represent a call to action suggesting professors should spend time with undecided students, so they can better coach the students as they decide their major. Additionally, business schools should direct resources to educate family members, so they can help students decide their major. Lastly, when examining differences between first-generation and non-first generation students, the authors found professors and family members were more influential to the first-generation population. Hence, first-generation students are more receptive to guidance about their academic major.