Students’ Motivations for Enrolling in Universities in Jordan In The Light of Some Variables

Abstract

This study aims to identify students’ motivations for enrolling in universities in Jordan, in the light of  some variables whether they are career, financial, social or academic motivations. The current study also seeks to determine the impact of gender, major and academic year on these motivations. The study sample consisted of (188) male and female students. Results indicate that the most important career and financial motivations were to get a more prestigious job, while the most important social and personal motivation was ‘because I feel a sense of joy and satisfaction when learning new things’. Whereas the most important academic motivation was ‘the joy I get when I learn things I did not previously know’. Furthermore, the results indicate that there are no statistically significant differences at (?> 0.5) attributable to the variables of gender, major, and academic year on students’ motivations to enroll in universities in Jordan. The study recommends the need to provide career counseling to students and their parents during the last stages of school so that they would be able to determine the majors they want to study at the undergraduate level.

Keywords: Motivations, Universities.