Educational strategies of university applicants: the development of classifications

the article presents the author's classification of educational strategies of young people obtaining higher professional education. The classification is based on the theoretical analysis of the stated problems and on the data of empirical sociological surveys. The theoretical analysis helps to describe the matrix classification. The main motivation areas for higher education are identified on the basis of a questionnaire among freshmen (1407 participants) conducted by the Laboratory of Sociological Research at Petrozavodsk State University in 2012–2014 and the use of methods of descriptive and analytical statistics, in particular, cluster and factor analysis. The analysis results show that educational strategies are often complex and heterogeneous. The most important motivation areas are: motivation for quality professional education (professionally or educationally oriented strategy); motivation for the acquisition of social status due to studying in a formal educational institution (student status) and the acquisition of an educational certificate (diploma). Both of these motivations can be implemented in an active and indifferent manner. Empirical analysis has shown that active educational strategies form a continuum with clearly defined professional- and status-oriented motivation. The article considers content and quantitative characteristics of the identified strategies. The reasoning provided by the author may be used for further studies of educational strategies including the use of qualitative research strategies and a larger number of social factors that lead to educational choice.