Abstract
Data show an increase in time taken by secondary education seniors in fully transitioning into higher education by declaring a major. Many of those who do make an early decision in choosing an academic major end up making numerous changes in degree choice, costing extra time, money and effort in attaining an undergraduate degree. In this project, researchers proposed an informational intervention by administering a strength, preference and interest career rating scale to interested participants from a secondary education setting. The results of augmenting the knowledge base of the participants showed a significant increase in confidence with choosing an academic major, post intervention. A higher effect manifested in Southwest Louisiana, though there was significant effect also in the Northeast region of the state. Researchers suggested federally subsidized programs such as TRIO may be instrumental in the difference of effect size in NELA and SWLA.
Highlights
Making the decision to attend college is one of many subsequent decisions which affect the postsecondary educational experience
The R2 of each survey was measured showing the mean difference from population norms of those feeling satisfied with their choice of an academic major
Of the remaining time in the school year, the professional spends 46% of that time in helping students complete college applications, 31% of the remaining time finding a good school match and 20% of the remaining time helping students find scholarships and financial aid to pay for their education
Summary
Making the decision to attend college is one of many subsequent decisions which affect the postsecondary educational experience. Decision-making shifts to academic and time management, sustainability of funding sources, and continually comparing options regarding major and benefits of persistence in enrollment. Each of these decisions has the potential to impact the financial return on investment for attending college, time to completion of a degree, and overall student success and retention rates. Their research, in conjunction with the survey study of Jaradat and Mustafa (2017) suggest the return on investment in college is further enhanced when postsecondary students receive strong support through effective academic advising which results in retainment of major, shorter time to completion of a degree program, and career transitions to competitive jobs in fields that match college programs of study. Based on their literature review, Oreopoulos and Petronijevic (2013) cautioned that due to inflation in expenses associated with college attendance, prospective college students should carefully investigate costs of universities, majors offered, and the predicted occupational outlook of potential job fields prior to making initial college enrollment decisions
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