Educational Aspirations Versus Educational Expectations in Turkey

There is a comprehensive literature based on educational research aimed to find the determinants of educational aspiration.  Although complex studies have been conducted, there is not a consensus about the definition of educational aspiration yet. Aspiration and expectation are two concepts very similar to each other, some researchers use both concepts with the same meaning, and some defines aspiration as idealistic hopes for future and expectation for meaningful realistic plans. Stephenson (1957) recognized a difference between idealistic and realistic plans. He supposes that all youth share the same high idealistic levels but that the realistic levels of youth vary by their socioeconomic origin.

Aspiration and expectation affect each other directly and aspirations are distinguishable from expectations; in other words there is a difference between what people hope to achieve and what they expect to achieve. Level of educational aspiration which influences an individual’s educational status attainment, and level of educational expectation which describes the level of the educational hierarchy one’s educational definers deem appropriate for him.

In this study, the transformation of students’ aspirations from idealistic to realistic, due to labor market conditions in Turkey is analyzed. 400 students educational aspirations were measured in 11^th grade in 2014 and their educational plans are asked in 12^th grade 2015. The striking change of educational aspirations of students are analyzed and possible determinants of the change is discussed sociologically.