Immigrant background and disadvantaged socioeconomic background are two key predictors of poorer school achievement in Europe. However, the former is associated with higher while the latter is associated with lower aspirations. This study asks whether family relationships account for this difference. Data come from 5,926 students in Germany and…

Internal dissonance and disagreement with significant others over career goals can disrupt career progress. Based on goal setting and self-regulation theories, this study tested the relationships between self and parent career goal discrepancy (gap between what is desired and what is achieved) and career goal adjustment (career compromise and goal…

Aspirations shape important future-oriented behaviors, including educational investment. Higher family aspirations for children predict better educational outcomes in multiple developing countries. Unfortunately, aspirations sometimes outstrip people's ability to pursue them. We study the relationship between family aspirations for children and…

Students' social identity is considered to have profound effects on their learning and academic performance, but there was a lack of research on whether students' social identity would also influence their aspirations to pursue STEM careers. This research studied the associations between the social identity of students and their aspirations to…

As there was no existing, psychometrically sound scale that directly assessed the discrepancies that young people experience between individual-set career goals and parent-set career goals, we developed and provided initial validation for a 15-item scale for use with young adults. In Study 1, items were developed, reviewed by experts, and…

Student-athletes' persistence to graduate has been a consistent topic of debate. The lack of information from the student-athletes' perspective about what impacts their persistence has created a gap where institutions, coaches, and sporting agencies lack the proper support system to ensure their success. This qualitative phenomenological study…

As the US-China geopolitical tensions escalated, this study sought to investigate how Chinese students respond to the political circumstances when making their post-graduation plans. Drawing from interviews among 15 Chinese international students who graduated from a US university, this study found that most Chinese students did not change their…

Sallie Mae partnered with Ipsos, a global independent market research company, to introduce this new study. The study focuses on how high school students and their parents are planning for higher education. In addition, it examines the value students and their families place on higher education and, among those who plan to attend, how they are…

The present study is the first of its kind using a dyadic and prospective research design to test whether traditional Asian cultural values and internalized racism among Chinese American adolescents and their first-generation immigrant parents are influential factors in the educational and vocational goals of the adolescents by the time they…

This study researched educational/career aspirations of thirty-one Hmong students attending high school in the Midwest United States. Historically, Hmong students have faced a variety of barriers in their schooling. Schools need to address the hidden equity issues facing Hmong students. The social and cultural messages in the classroom speak to a…

This article describes a study that captured the voices of six Niuean boys and their views on senior secondary schooling and the pursuit of higher education in New Zealand. Their tutala give insight into their relationships, identity, career goals, family support, and church life. With growing emphasis on culturally responsive pedagogy, this study…

Across the globe, from the very wealthy continents of North America to Europe to Australia, the phenomenon of migrant and immigrant students outperforming native students are observed and documented. Even within the same race, achievement differences are being observed. What might account for the achievement success of one group of students over…

Across the globe, from the very wealthy continents of North America to Europe to Australia, the phenomenon of migrant and immigrant students outperforming native students are observed and documented. Some migrants and immigrants from China, the Philippines, India, Russia, Africa, and the Caribbean are reportedly achieving higher test scores than…

The author explored the relationship between internalized stereotyping, parental pressure, and parental support on major choices among 315 Asian American undergraduate and graduate students. Results indicated that parental support, but not parental pressure, toward certain majors was associated with more stereotypical major choices. In addition,…

We investigated the relationship of self-sexualization to self-objectification, weight concerns, self-efficacy, academic outcomes, and career aspirations among preadolescent girls. Participants were 89 six- to nine-year-old girls; parental reports were also obtained. Two thirds of girls showed signs of self-sexualization by choosing a sexualized…