Does social class influence a young student’s choice of education? Yes it does, at least if they live in Denmark. A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Copenhagen suggests that young Danish students choose education based on their social class.
The study included students from working class families and students whose parents with higher education. According to the official press release published by the university, students from working class families pursue fields that offer jobs with high income and have “clear job profiles,” while Danish students of parents with university degrees pursue studies based on prestige and “with a strong identity.”
The study reveals that young students with working class backgrounds are drawn to study business and pharmacy, whereas students who come from parents with higher education are drawn to fields such as sociology, economy, architecture, and medicine. An interesting part of the study finds that students with working class backgrounds who have good grades and can easily pursue medicine or economy, for example, still pursue other educational paths than prestigious studies. What’s more, these students are more likely to choose 9 to 5 careers, while students of parents with higher education choose educational paths in which they are students “24/7.” The study suggests that for these students, even leisure activities are tied to their identity that lies within their studies.
Read more: http://news.ku.dk/all_news/2013/2013.9/young-people-choose-education-based-on-parents-background/
