Factors that influence career uncertainty in college freshmen

Abstract

Career development is a lifelong process that can be fostered through education programs at all levels, but specifically during the beginning of one’s college years. It is very common for college freshmen to ponder about their choice of major and to pick a specific career during semester one of college. Therefore it is extremely important for colleges to offer career guidance aimed to help students make more informed and consequently better educational and career choices. Within this study will be a review of literature that compares and contrasts research of factors that influence career uncertainty at the early stages of college. Recommendations will be made for counselors to help aid them in their role of assisting students struggling with uncertainty. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that influence career uncertainty of college freshmen at the University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, Wisconsin and to make recommendations that will assist counselors/advisors with early preparation of students. The objectives are clearly stated: 1. To identify the demographic antecedents of career indecision that exists. 2. To determine if there are commonalities in attitudes on educational and occupational plans in college freshmen. Additionally, data will be looked at according to gender to see if any differences exist. 3. To identify effective recommendations/interventions that will allow counselors/advisors to better prepare students for their college education and life-long career decision making. Data will be collected from students in the class TRDIS-101-002 Seminar in Career Exploration during the fall of 2002 at the beginning of 2nd quarter using the Career Decision Scale (CDS).