Educational and Occupational Aspirations of Students in Three High Schools in Anderson, South Carolina, 1973 / Virlyn A. Boyd and Nancy J. Pettigrew.

The hypothesis that the educational and occupational aspirations of students who choose to attend a vocational high school differ from those attending conventional high schools was tested. The educational and occupational aspirations and expectations of 10th grade high school students in a vocational high school were compared with those of 10th grade students in two conventional high schools in Anderson, South Carolina. Administered to all 10th grade students in the three schools on the day of interview in 1972, questionnaire responses were obtained for 236 and 80 white males; 250 and 76 white females; 60 and 4 nonwhite males; and 65 and 14 nonwhite females from the "normal" and vocational schools respectively. Results indicated: (1) the hypothesis was supportable; (2) a lower proportion of students from the vocational school had a preference for professional and technical occupations (with the exception of the nonwhite males, where the small number precluded conclusions); (3) a larger proportion of both white and nonwhite female vocational students aspired to clerical, sales, or service worker jobs; (4) with the exception of nonwhite females, a smaller proportion of the vocational students were interested in higher education; and (5) more of the vocational students were desirous of completing their formal training with vocational or high school. (JC)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.