Predicting Students' Attitudes and Satisfactions: Implications for Strategic Planning in Higher Education

The purposes of the study were (1) to investigate the effects of academic/career factors, social and self influences, occupational orientation, and individual characteristics on students' attitudes toward their majors and satisfaction with their majors/departments and (2) to examine the impact of initial expectations of one's major/department, perceived performance, and disconfirmation on the students' current satisfaction level with their majors/departments. Data (n = 718) were collectedfrom 16 major universities across the nation. As a result of a series of multiple regression analyses, students' perceptions of their courses and of the image of their proposed careers appeared to have the most significant impact on students' attitudes toward their major, while course perceptions, overall university satisfaction, attitude toward one's major, and occupational orientation were the most significant factors for students' satisfaction with their major/department. In investigating the impact of initial expectation, perceived performance, and disconfirmation on satisfaction, perceived performance was the most important factor in predicting satisfaction regardless of initial expectation or disconfirmation. Implications for strategic planning and further research recommendations are discussed.