Who/What Has Had the Most Influence on My Educational Pursuits?



Who/What Has Had the Most Influence on My Educational Pursuits?

Introduction

The decision to pursue a college degree is one of the most significant commitments a student will make in his or her lifetime. It is predicated on the cultivation of high academic aspirations, a process of influence that begins well before high school graduation. This critically important decision for students is influenced by numerous internal and external factors. Research has shown how these factors often differ among various groups of students; however, few studies have analyzed the impact of perceived influential factors on the decision-making process of first-generation college students.

In recent years, the impact of external factors on the economy has significantly heightened the urgency for higher education to address the global demands of an increasingly technological work force. A second important source of influence on the pursuit of higher education involves internal factors that may affect personal experiences. Family opinions, peer influence, secondary school support, and academic preparation are each examples of internal factors which ultimately influence students' decisions to attend college. In the early 20th Century, college enrollments were comprised of predominantly upper middle class white male adolescents who were the sons of prosperous farmer's merchants, lawyers, doctors, and ministers (London, 2000).

Over the past several decades, the educational aspirations of all groups of students have increased dramatically. During the 1960s and 1970s, “the nation was shifting away from a manufacturing-based economy, where a high school diploma was enough to land a job that paid well and could last a person's entire working life” (Higher Education Enrollment, 2003, p. 14). Simultaneously, a service-based economy was developing, and employers were seeking individuals who had obtained degrees in specialized areas of study. A postsecondary degree has become less of a luxury ...