This study aimed to analyze the effects of the psychological characteristics (a sense of community, self-esteem, academic efficacy, creativity, and consideration) of students at vocational high schools on learning strategies, self-directed learning, and academic achievement, and seek ways to improve policies. For this purpose, the Busan Education Longitudinal Study (BELS) data (2019) was used for analysis, and the main findings are as follows. First, there was a correlation between each variable in this study, and learning strategy had a close relationship with academic achievement, but self-directed learning was not significant. Second, in terms of causal effects, it was found that the students' psychological characteristics for learning strategies had a significant effect in the order of consideration, academic efficacy, and creativity, but self-esteem and community spirit did not have a significant effect. In the psychological characteristics of students for self-directed learning, consideration, creativity, community spirit, and self-esteem had a significant effect in the order, but academic efficacy was not significant. The indirect effect of students' psychological characteristics on academic achievement had a significant effect in the order of consideration, academic efficacy, and creativity. Self-esteem and community spirit were not significant. Learning strategy had a significant effect on self-directed learning and academic achievement, but self-directed learning had no significant effect at all. Based on these results, discussions and policy measures were proposed.