Factors Affecting the Choice of Schooling Tracts among Boys and Girls

Since any difference in human capital accumulation between male and female students prior to their enterance to higher education or the job market can lead to gender-based segregation in both education and employment, factors affecting the choice of schooling tracts need to be identified and compared between boys and girls. To this end, a sample of 900 high school sophomores qualified to choose any of the theory-based or practice-based tracts was selected, and then their gender related beliefs were assessed using a questionnaire. The data analysis revealed that among factors influencing the girl's tract choice employment potential, school administrators, gender-related beliefs, and attitude together explain close to %64 of the variance, while among boys, it is the combination of social pressure, peer pursuation, and personal aptitude/interest that explains close to %60 of the variance.