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How Do College Students How Do College Students Select Their Majors?Select Their Majors?
Group 4:Group 4:Tara M BellofattoTara M BellofattoJessica CollinsJessica CollinsGergana GaliatsatosGergana GaliatsatosVitaliy KonevVitaliy KonevTom C VogdesTom C Vogdes
Data CollectionData Collection
PopulationPopulation– All current and former studentsAll current and former students– Ages 17 to any ageAges 17 to any age– All genders All genders – All ethnicities All ethnicities – All social statusesAll social statuses– All marital statusesAll marital statuses
Data CollectionData Collection
Method – SurveyMethod – Survey– Part 1: General InformationPart 1: General Information
Gender Gender
Age (18 and below/ 19-21 / above 21)Age (18 and below/ 19-21 / above 21)
EthnicityEthnicity
Social Class (working/middle/upper)Social Class (working/middle/upper)
Marital StatusMarital Status
Have you changed your major?Have you changed your major?
Data CollectionData Collection
SurveySurvey– Part 2: Major Selection Factors (12)Part 2: Major Selection Factors (12)
Future income;Future income;Interest in the field;Interest in the field;Ease of study;Ease of study;Following your role model;Following your role model;High school influence;High school influence;Random selection, etc.Random selection, etc.
Rank the influence of each factor on selection Rank the influence of each factor on selection of his/her major, from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)of his/her major, from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)
Data CollectionData Collection
Our Sample - 62 people :Our Sample - 62 people :– 98% current students (from 3 different 98% current students (from 3 different
colleges)colleges)– 63% females63% females– 56% age 19-2156% age 19-21– 68% whites68% whites– 87% middle class87% middle class– 95% singles95% singles– 63% never changed their major63% never changed their major
AnalysisAnalysis
For the whole sample:For the whole sample:– Top 3 factors (most influence):Top 3 factors (most influence):
1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2. Job availabilityJob availability
3.3. Future incomeFuture income
– Bottom 3 factors (least influence):Bottom 3 factors (least influence):12.12. Friends’ influenceFriends’ influence
13.13. Random selectionRandom selection
14.14. Appropriate for my genderAppropriate for my gender
AnalysisAnalysis
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Analysis - AgeAnalysis - Age
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for 18 and below18 and below::1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2. Future incomeFuture income
3.3. Challenge of course materialChallenge of course material
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for above 21above 21::1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2. Job availabilityJob availability
3.3. Future incomeFuture income
Analysis - AgeAnalysis - Age
3.13
4.25
2.63
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Challenge
Top 3 factors for 18 and below
3.09
4.55
3.36
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors for above 21
Analysis - AgeAnalysis - Age
Younger students (18 and below):Younger students (18 and below):– focus more on course material and studying;focus more on course material and studying;– don’t think about future jobs yet;don’t think about future jobs yet;– desire financial independence;desire financial independence;
Reason: most of them still live with their parents and Reason: most of them still live with their parents and financially depend on them.financially depend on them.
Older students (above 21):Older students (above 21):– realize importance of the job availability factor;realize importance of the job availability factor;
Reasons: Reasons: depend on their parents much less; depend on their parents much less;
had Co-ops and have part time jobs now.had Co-ops and have part time jobs now.
Analysis - GenderAnalysis - Gender
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for malesmales::1.1.Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2.Future incomeFuture income
3.3.Job availabilityJob availability
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for femalesfemales::1.1.Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2.Job availabilityJob availability
3.3.Future incomeFuture income
Analysis - GenderAnalysis - Gender
3.39
4.00
3.35
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors for males
2.87
4.51
2.97
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors for females
Analysis - GenderAnalysis - Gender
Males chose future income because:Males chose future income because:– of their role as the providerof their role as the provider– thought of as the “bread winners”thought of as the “bread winners”– have been socialized into a more dominant have been socialized into a more dominant
role role
Females chose job availability because:Females chose job availability because:– need for job securityneed for job security– resistance entering into highly demanding, resistance entering into highly demanding,
aggressive careersaggressive careers
Analysis - EthnicityAnalysis - Ethnicity
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for Whites & AsiansWhites & Asians::1.1.Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2.Future incomeFuture income
3.3.Job availabilityJob availability
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for African AmericansAfrican Americans::1.1.Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2.Job availabilityJob availability
3.3.High school influenceHigh school influence
Analysis - EthnicityAnalysis - Ethnicity
3.00
4.43
2.98
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors Whites
3.864.14
3.14
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors Asians
4.20
3.402.90
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Interest Jobs HighSchool
Top 3 factors for African Americans
Analysis - EthnicityAnalysis - Ethnicity
African Americans have defined high school African Americans have defined high school influence as a very important factor:influence as a very important factor:– They don’t have the same resources as other ethnic They don’t have the same resources as other ethnic
groups;groups;– Rely on scholarships earned during high school Rely on scholarships earned during high school
years.years.
Asians ignore ease of study factor:Asians ignore ease of study factor:– Particular interest in challenging majors like Physics, Particular interest in challenging majors like Physics,
Statistics, etc. Statistics, etc. – Asian culture emphasizes importance of high Asian culture emphasizes importance of high
achievement and challenge achievement and challenge
Analysis – Social StatusAnalysis – Social Status
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for Middle & Upper ClassMiddle & Upper Class::1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2. Job availabilityJob availability
3.3. Future incomeFuture income
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for Working ClassWorking Class::1.1. Job availabilityJob availability
2.2. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field
2.2. Future incomeFuture income
Analysis – Social StatusAnalysis – Social Status
3.50
5.00
4.00
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors upper class
2.98
4.31
2.98
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors middle class
3.75 3.75 4.00
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors working class
Analysis – Social StatusAnalysis – Social Status
Upper class:Upper class:– wishes to maintain their high social statuswishes to maintain their high social status
Middle class:Middle class:– have the option of choosing between different jobs have the option of choosing between different jobs
offersoffers– aiming for higher statusaiming for higher status
Working class:Working class:– the only group in our sample who selected job the only group in our sample who selected job
availability as most important factoravailability as most important factor– need to be able to go to work immediately to support need to be able to go to work immediately to support
oneself or family oneself or family
Analysis – Change of MajorAnalysis – Change of Major
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for YES (changed major)YES (changed major)::1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field2.2. Future incomeFuture income3.3. Job availabilityJob availability
Top 3 factors for Top 3 factors for NO (did not change NO (did not change major)major)::
1.1. Interest in the fieldInterest in the field2.2. Job availability Job availability 3.3. Future incomeFuture income
Analysis – Change of MajorAnalysis – Change of Major
3.04
4.30
2.87
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors for students who changed major
3.08
4.33
3.26
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Income Interest Jobs
Top 3 factors for students who didn't change major
Analysis – Change of MajorAnalysis – Change of Major
Students who Students who DID DID change their majors:change their majors:– Are more concerned about their future incomeAre more concerned about their future income– Less interested in actual jobsLess interested in actual jobs
Students who Students who DIDDID NOT NOT change their change their majors:majors:– are more interested in their major field;are more interested in their major field;– are more intrigued by future job opportunitiesare more intrigued by future job opportunities
Further TestingFurther Testing
Larger sample:Larger sample:– More people;More people;– More colleges;More colleges;– Randomness of sampleRandomness of sample
Different survey:Different survey:– Focus on specific hypothesis;Focus on specific hypothesis;– Use on-line surveyUse on-line survey
Further TestingFurther Testing
Interviews:Interviews:– To get qualitative dataTo get qualitative data– More details More details – Students as well as professionals involved in Students as well as professionals involved in
college decision processcollege decision process
Secondary analysis:Secondary analysis:– Reference past research for further Reference past research for further
comparisoncomparison
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