Evaluation of Major Selection and its Impact on Educational Satisfaction among Isfahan University Students

Higher education, as the most important educational institution of any society, can play a significant role in the development of countries. Proper guidance of students into universities and reducing the gap between what they like to study and what they actually end up studying can save not only individual talents, but also youth energy and national resources. In addition to identify important factors influencing major selection among Isfahan University students, this study attempts to analyze the impact that major assessment has on students’ educational satisfaction. Our research population is all undergraduate students at Isfahan University, of whom, using quota sampling method, we selected 465 individuals, based on two variables of gender and major. The results of the study indicated that nearly 65% of the respondents mentioned their own interest and decision as the most important factor determining their major selection. Likewise, a similar number indicated that if they had their current knowledge and understanding, they would make the same decisions. In order to measure the impact of individual major assessment on his/her educational satisfaction, we used Structural Equation Modeling and realized that the influential factor of major assessment on educational satisfaction is 58%.