University major choice in Ecuador’s zone 7 explanatory mixed-methods study on determinants.

Abstract

This article examined the determinants of university major choice among second-year upper-secondary (Bachillerato) students in Ecuador’s Zone 7 from the lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and structural approaches. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed: a survey was administered to 460 students using Likert-type scales (α = 0.86), and 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with “atypical” cases. Quantitative results showed strong family influence (82.7% reported parental influence; 63.9% family professional tradition), a predominance of instrumental criteria (68.1% chose due to “high labor demand”; 49.3% due to income), and gaps in guidance and information (25.8% received adequate counseling; 26.8% had in-depth knowledge of the chosen field). At the institutional level, reputation mattered (52.6%), although accreditation was often unknown (58.5%). At the personal level, fear of making the wrong choice (66.7%) and financial constraints (54.1%) stood out. The qualitative analysis complemented these findings with accounts of identity foreclosures, tacit family pressure, institutional idealization, and persistent misinformation. It was concluded that vocational decision-making constituted a social and symbolic process mediated by contextual supports and barriers; therefore, it is recommended to strengthen guidance from the first year of upper secondary school, professionalize student support, involve families, and demystify “prestige” as a decisional criterion. Limitations included non-probabilistic sampling, a cross-sectional design, and a regional focus. Finally, the study contributed a triangulated analytical matrix that integrated personal, family, institutional, and contextual dimensions for decision-making.