Intention to enter higher education: an analysis from the perspective of values and motivational factors

Abstract

The percentage of the Brazilian population with higher education is still low, even when it's compared with other Latin American countries. Thus, it's relevant to understand the influences and motivations of high school students to enter higher education. The present study aimed to analyze which factors influence high school students in the recognition of the need to attend higher education. It was also sought to understand the influence of the socioeconomic conditions and the administrative nature of the institutions attended by the students (public or private) for this purpose, as well as the role of personal values in this pretension. The quantitative descriptive research was based on a survey and had the participation of 406 students regularly enrolled in the third year of high school. The data were treated with descriptive statistics and t-tests comparing means between groups. The results indicated that, in recognition of the need to enter higher education, students are individually influenced by their socioeconomic situation, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, as well as their individual and social values. Differences of personal values among students were observed, according to the type of school attended, and there is no difference when the comparison is made among the pretension groups.