The Role of Time Perspective, Motivation, Attitude, and Preparation in Educational Choice and Study Progress
Table 8
Quotes that are illustrative for different attitudes.
Attitude
Persister or dropout
Quote
Positive
Persister
() (about law at the university of applied sciences) “There is a lot to learn, which is tough, but I’ve always been good at it, for example with History. So I can do that” (OR1)
Positive
Persister
() “I’m definitely motivated, if I set my mind to something, I really go for it. I will keep going until I understand. I want to understand what I’m studying” (FE7)
Positive
Persister
() “I actually expected the education to be much more difficult. Law, that will be something…But they really start from scratch.” “I didn’t have any prior knowledge but I think I’m managing just fine. I have to do a lot of homework and I make a lot of summaries” (MH23)
Negative
Dropout
() “I had already finished my study for half a year so I wanted to get a job, but I couldn’t find one” “Or really, I just wanted something else. First I wanted to be nurse, but I couldn’t start that education until September so I didn’t do that” (FE6)
Negative
Persister
() “No. I also did a test. The results always said something wit Law or Defence, So I wanted to join the Air Force. But I didn’t pass the test so I immediately knew what to do: apply here and study Law” (WO12)
Negative
Persister
() “…But that wasn’t possible because I hadn’t taken Maths in secondary school. And Law was actually my second choice. So I went for it, because it seemed like the best thing to do besides Psychology” (OR28)
Negative
Persister
() “…I didn’t really like Economics, I also looked into that. I’m not really good at Maths. I like the social part, but I already did that during my MBO study. So I chose the business side. Thanks to my MBO-internship I’d already acquired some social skills…” (MH13)
Negative
Dropout
() “Actually I wanted to go to the Willem de Koning Academy (School of Arts), but my mother did not like this” (SV27)
Doubting
Dropout
() “After the secondary vocational education I was not sure I wanted to follow this education. I was doubting. It’s all confusing” (MH9)
Doubting
Persister
() “I have dyslexia…. I spoke to someone at the open day who reassured me, he also had dyslexia…I did not subscribe because I was uncertain. I wanted to wait till this conversation…” (OR4)
Doubting
Dropout
() “I’m dreading it, I don’t have any legal background, and I followed a secondary vocational education. They also warned us over there; higher vocational education is not easy” (MH17)
Doubting
Dropout
() “I applied for Social Legal Services, but I’m not entirely sure yet. At vocational education I did not choose for Personnel Work, because you have to work a lot with people. So I choose Business Services. That’s why I now doubt if this is the right profession for me.” “If I pass all my resits this period, I’m fine with it. But if I fail the social subjects again, I will start doubting…Now I am doubting if I have made the right choice” (PK14)
Doubting
Dropout
() (about the moment of applying for a study) “…because I was vacillating between Social Legal Services and Law. July, August, yes I think it was August that I applied. I also applied for Social Work because I was still making up my mind. Yes, I put a lot of thought into it, because I had to make a choice. What am I going to do: Social Work or Social Legal Services” (WO30)
