REASONS TO ENROLL IN UNIVERSITY AND ACADEMIC CAREER.A SURVEY OF FRESHMEN IN A LARGE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ITALIANUNIVERSITY

The transformation of higher education from elite to mass systems has profoundly influenced the reasons that drive individuals and their families to pursue higher education. In contexts of widespread educational access, changing perceptions of education interact with socio-economic back- grounds and expectations to shape both enrollment decisions and academic outcomes. This study examines these dynamics by analyzing the reasons that influence enrollment, utilizing empirical data gathered from a comprehensive survey of first-year students at the University of Milan. Using methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), the research identifies the key drivers that influence students’ choices to enroll in higher education. It also investigates how these reasons mediate the relationship between family background and early academic performance, using Structural Equation Modeling to assess the impact of these factors on initial success in higher education. A gender perspective is also incorporated, examining how agentic career goals contribute to gendered patterns in field-of-study choices, particularly in the context of persistent horizontal segregation. Collectively, these findings intend to offer a multidimensional per- spective on the factors shaping higher education participation and outcomes in contemporary society.