Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Why do Swedish students go to university? Results of an anthropological study

Sampson, Steven LU (2007) Second European First Year Experience Conference
Abstract
This paper details the findings of an assessment of the Swedish "application crisis" to universities, where some fields have experienced a drop in applications. There are also problems with throughput of students. Our team interviewed gymnasium pupils, guidance counselors, and first year students in selected disciplines at Lund University to find out how they made their decision to come to university and what factors influence their decision to remain, drop out, or switch fields. We found that some students have a personal project for self realization, while others see the university as only a place for job/career preparation. These views are reflected among the pupils, guidance counselors and in recruitment activities. We need a more... (More)
This paper details the findings of an assessment of the Swedish "application crisis" to universities, where some fields have experienced a drop in applications. There are also problems with throughput of students. Our team interviewed gymnasium pupils, guidance counselors, and first year students in selected disciplines at Lund University to find out how they made their decision to come to university and what factors influence their decision to remain, drop out, or switch fields. We found that some students have a personal project for self realization, while others see the university as only a place for job/career preparation. These views are reflected among the pupils, guidance counselors and in recruitment activities. We need a more nuanced understanding of how young people view the university in their total life project. The entire report, in Swedish, is available from the author. The project was financed by the Lund Univ. Information Department. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
unpublished
subject
keywords
throughput, admissions crisis, university, first year experience, social anthropology
conference name
Second European First Year Experience Conference
conference dates
2007-05-07
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
author contact: steven.sampson@soc.Lu.se see also http://www.sc.edu/fye/index.html
id
e566f635-fa0a-495d-8cfa-d9a4c9342982 (old id 1146844)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:50:10
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:11:00
@misc{e566f635-fa0a-495d-8cfa-d9a4c9342982,
  abstract     = {{This paper details the findings of an assessment of the Swedish "application crisis" to universities, where some fields have experienced a drop in applications. There are also problems with throughput of students. Our team interviewed gymnasium pupils, guidance counselors, and first year students in selected disciplines at Lund University to find out how they made their decision to come to university and what factors influence their decision to remain, drop out, or switch fields. We found that some students have a personal project for self realization, while others see the university as only a place for job/career preparation. These views are reflected among the pupils, guidance counselors and in recruitment activities. We need a more nuanced understanding of how young people view the university in their total life project. The entire report, in Swedish, is available from the author. The project was financed by the Lund Univ. Information Department.}},
  author       = {{Sampson, Steven}},
  keywords     = {{throughput; admissions crisis; university; first year experience; social anthropology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Why do Swedish students go to university? Results of an anthropological study}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/6006628/1146846.doc}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}