DIVERSIFYING HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY OF HOW STUDENTS CHOOSE AN EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY

Abstract

To modernize high school education, some scholars have proposed reshaping traditional high school curriculum to create new options that are tailored to students' distinct needs. Some research suggests that offering high school students different curricular pathways can increase motivation and lead to enhanced student outcomes, but others argue that high school students can face substantial barriers to making informed decisions when choosing a pathway. Few empirical studies examine how high school students decide on a pathway in schools that offer such options. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how high school graduates (n = 22) described choosing educational pathways in high school. Interviews were conducted with recent graduates who completed one of the three following non-traditional educational pathways: Concurrent Enrollment, Career and Technical Education, or Early College High School programs. From the analysis of these interviews, major influences related to pathway selection were resources for students to obtain information about pathways, finances influencing one's choice, choices based on personal preferences, the effect of peers on one's educational pathway, and the role of family in decision-making processes. This qualitative work advances the literature by offering a deeper understanding of how students decide on their educational pathways in an era of growing curricular choice at the high school level.