VOCATIONAL IDENTITY AMONG TRANSFER STUDENTS: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY USING THE MY VOCATIONAL SITUATION INSTRUMENT

Abstract

This thesis sought to determine if any differences in vocational identity (VI), as measured by the My Vocational Situation (MVS) (Holland et al., 1980) instrument, existed among transfer students entering the University of Kansas. This study measured VI of transfer students by several variables: academic classification, gender, age, ethnicity, credits earned, transferring institution, and number of times transferred. Lastly, this study developed local normative data for the transfer student population, and tested for differences between the local norms and the MVS sample norms. Data for this study was collected during a one-day orientation program attended by admitted transfer students. Responses from 253 completed surveys were used to test eight hypotheses. Statistical analyses revealed: a) female transfer students had higher VI mean scores than the MVS female college sample; b) female transfer students had higher Barriers (B) mean scores; and c) male transfer student had lower occupational information (OI) mean scores. The content of this study is important to understanding the transfer student and career development. Based on these findings, implications for practice and future research are discussed.