Analyzing the Key Problems Affecting Students’ Decisions Making to Pursue Careers in Academic

Abstract

This paper discusses the problems facing students in choosing an academic career which influence academic and professional paths within post-secondary education, with the context of the semi-urban setting of Sargodha, Pakistan. The data was gathered using a qualitative research design that employed the open-ended interview, which involved 25 students of Sargodha University, and was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that personal motivation, especially Passion and job security, plays a significant role in how students make their career decisions, whereas parental influence, often based on financial security and cultural norms, is decisive at times, resulting in negotiating or disagreeing. Socioeconomic barriers, limited career counseling, and external influences such as peers and media further shape these trajectories. The research paper indicates that structured career guidance is necessary to close the gap between the aspirations of students and the expectations of their parents so that the decisions made by them can be informed and fulfilling. Among the recommendations are the early career planning of students, effective parental engagement, institutional counseling services, and policy interventions to improve access to the available career opportunities. Such observations assist in the comprehension of the student-parent dynamics within the Pakistani higher education system, and offer avenues within which student-centered career development could be encouraged.