Search results

We examined the effects of adolescents' perceptions of their high school achievement on choice of postsecondary major field of study, as categorised by Holland types (R-I-A-S-E-C). Achievement perceptions were assessed when adolescents were in the 10th grade. Adolescents made educational choices two to four years later. We found that perceptions of mathematics achievement had the strongest effects on choice of Holland types of majors for men and for low socioeconomic status (SES) women. Effects of perceptions of English achievement were weaker overall, but had stronger effects than perceptions of mathematics achievement for middle and high SES women. Therefore, there was a three-way interaction of gender, SES, and achievement perceptions in predicting choice of Holland type of postsecondary major.