Re-Entry Women: A Selective Review of the Educational Process, Career Choice, and Interest Measurement

Abstract

Overview This review examines some factors related to the of women to postsecondary education and draws implications for needed research. It includes areas that are necessary to the larger goals of studying educational and career patterns of women, and to the development of adequate program evaluation models. The first part of the review considers barriers and opportunities in postsecondary education for the mature woman. These barriers include college restrictions, family resistance, and financial problems, as well as attitudinal and selfconcept characteristics. Opportunities are examined in a review of frequently proposed solutions: counseling and special programs. One factor that limits these solutions at present is current theory and research on career choice for women, especially the re-entry woman. These major theories are briefly noted, as well as the findings of recent research studies, in the second part of this review. The third part deals specifically with a tool used by counselors-interest inventories. The issue of sex bias in interest measurement is discussed and recent research in the area is reviewed. The review concludes with implications for needed research-theoretical, programmatical, and in the area of interest measurement.