What should I study?: project outcomes and recommendations

The reasons why students withdraw from studies during their first year are complex and unique for each student. Universities and secondary schools already provide much support for access, transition, retention and engagement of students in higher education. To complement existing support structures, this project sought to clarify the stages of the Year 12 study choice process in South Australia and to create a student development framework for secondary schools and universities to use to support Year 12 students as they make plans for their future. The project comprised four studies, which together make up the findings and underpin the recommendations: three of the studies comprised a review of current practice (by government agencies; by universities; and by secondary school staff) exploring how support is provided and what information is available to Year 12 students and the fourth, a survey of Year 12 students, explored aspects of study choice and the ways in which students consider and engage in this process.

Significant findings are that: (1) two structural decision-making points direct the study choice for Year 12 students determined by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC) in conjunction with universities and by the Australian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centres (early closing date; preference change deadline); (2) the single offer preference system is unique to Australia and shapes and impacts the study choice process; (3) study choice is a complex decision with a lot of information to process; (4) in-depth exploration is positively correlated with being confident about a study choice, yet many students do not engage in available activities; (5) the relationships between schools and universities are vital to the delivery of study choice support for Year 12 students; and (6) Year 12 students need and want more support with study choice. Recommendations are made against each of these findings. Along with this report, other project outcomes are: a learning framework for study choice; a study choice process model; and a study choice checklist for Year 12 students.

Papers about this project have been presented at three conferences: (1) 2015 STARS Conference [paper available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 127.1038]; (2) 2017 CDAA Conference [TD/TNC 132.702]; and (3) 2017 HERDSA Conference [TD/TNC 132.703]. Show less