Exploring Students’ Perspectives on the Development of Post-Secondary Educational Aspirations

Abstract

This study was focused on Canadian undergraduate students’ perspectives of how they became aspired to pursue higher education. Participants were recruited from undergraduate classes at a university in southwestern Ontario. Seventy-one participants took part in the study and completed an online survey. Narratives from participants were qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Six different themes were generated: natural progression, societal and parental expectations, family influence, career opportunities, role models, and emancipation. Directions for future research and implications are discussed.