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Table 3 Goal contents for attending college

From: First-year university students’ knowledge of academic misconduct and the association between goals for attending university and receptiveness to intervention

What is your most important motivation/goal for attending university?

 

n (%)

 

A priori codes

 N/A

22 (6.2)

“Future success.” (Reference 122, CoB)

“I want to be successful in my future life.” (Reference 621, CoE).

 Extrinsic

228 (64.0)

“Getting a degree and being able to get a high paying job” (Reference 451, CoB)

“Job and money” (Reference 798, CoE)

 Intrinsic

41 (11.5)

“To better myself by putting myself through hard situations and pushing myself to grow as a person.” (Reference 875, CoB)

“I want to learn how to be an adult as well as an amazing teacher to kids who need a great one the most.” (Reference 853, CoE)

 Both

65 (18.3)

“My motivation is to improve myself and start my career” Reference 917, CoB).

“My parents and being a role model for my family” (Reference 603, CoE)

Emergent codes

 Financial success

57 (16.0)

“My most important motivation for coming to [HEI] is to make money.” (Reference 480, CoB)

“My most important motivation for attending university is to give me a higher chance of obtaining a well-paying, substantial job.” (Reference 916, CoE)

 Career attainment

177 (49.7)

“Getting a degree to get a good job” (Reference 590, CoB)

“I want to better my sled and prosper not stay working at Taco Bell. I want to help people in my profession and I want to be a hell of a teacher!” (Reference 227, CoE)

 Degree/credential/education

154 (43.3)

“I need to get my mba and make money” (Reference 969, CoB).

“To further my education and hopefully gain the ability to have a career in teaching.” (Reference 852, CoE)

 Fame/social approval

39 (11.0)

“Make my parents proud and graduate.” (Reference 427, CoB).

“proving my family and peers wrong” (Reference 746, CoE)

 Community contribution

18 (5.1)

“my most important motivation is to start a business and open opportunities for employees” (Reference 333, CoB)

“My most important motivation for attending the university is to be a teacher. I want to be a teacher because I can then help kids and motivate them to be who they want to be in the future.” (Reference 615, CoE).

 Personal improvement/ interest/value

72 (20.2)

“For myself, to prove to myself that I can do anything that I set my heart out to do.” (Reference 431, CoB)

“I want to achieve my degree in order to become a teacher, so I can make a difference in the world and follow what I feel is my callling.” (Reference 547, CoE)

 Supportive affiliation

16 (4.8)

“My biggest motivation for attending this university is to find higher education and have the opportunity to get a better job so that I can provide for, not only myself but also my mom and family.” (Reference 404, CoB)

“My most important motivation for attending the university is to be a teacher. I want to be a teacher because I can then help kids and motivate them to be who they want to be in the future.” (Reference 109, CoE)