Career-technical students in baccalaureate programs: Predictors of the intent to persist and satisfaction with educational pathways

This research explores the intersections of descriptive attributes, expectations, and influences (independent variables) and the degree to which they predict the intent to persist and satisfaction (dependent variables) of students enrolled in career-technical programs at four-year institutions. Little research exists for this population, and nothing based on the theoretical frameworks of Bean and Metzner (1985) and Lent, Brown and Hackett (1994). Expecting a significant relationship among several factors contributing to the intent to persist for career-technical students in degree programs, this research explores predictors for persistence in this population. This research revealed that there are simpler relationships among the variables explored in this study and that no one model can explain the variations that exist for both native and transfer students. The study has implications that include tailoring conversations for students, including more measures around academic self-efficacy in federal policy measures of accountability, and exploring the nature of academic self-efficacy in transfer student population