Effects of Motivation, ACT/SAT, GPA, and SES on College Choice for Academically Advanced Students and Other Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the effects of motivation factors on college choice between academically advanced students and other students. College choice ranged from no college, two-year college, four-year college, moderately selective four-year college, and highly selective four-year college. Restricted data from the nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) of 2002 were used for the analysis. Using the ELS questions, 8 motivation constructs (general intrinsic motivation, math intrinsic motivation, reading Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, general academic self-efficacy, math self-efficacy, English self-efficacy, and educational expectation) were developed. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the direct and indirect effects of the factors on college choice. The results indicated that although ACT/SAT scores, followed by GPA, are the most important factors for both academically advanced students’ and other students’ choices of more selective colleges, their choices are mediated by their intrinsic reading motivation and math self-efficacy. Compared to other students’, academically advanced students’ extrinsic motivation more negatively affected, while Socio Economic Status (SES) less negatively affected, their choices of more selective colleges. Other students’ high general academic self-efficacy and educational expectations positively affected their ACT/SAT scores, GPA, and choices of more selective colleges, which did not affect academically advanced students.