BACKGROUND Only a few months before starting university, more than 50% of Spanish high-school students do not know what course to choose. Data from the Ministry of Education show that dropout rates reach 40% in some Spanish communities. This study aims to analyse the most important reasons behind students' choices of degree course and the sources of information they use to help them choose depending on the type of the school and the field of study chosen. METHOD A sample of 2,254 students from all over Spain completed two previously validated questionnaires. RESULTS The results showed that in general terms, intrinsic motives were more highly valued. The sources of information that students used most and rated more highly were university websites and family advice. Students from private schools rated guidance activities organized by universities more highly than students from state schools. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis statistics showed that the intrinsic component was more highly valued by students who wanted to study degrees in the fields of Arts and Humanities or Services. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide quality information that may be used to improve the effectiveness of guidance counselling activities.

中文翻译：

---

选择学位课程的原因和信息来源的差异。

背景仅仅在上大学前几个月，超过50%的西班牙高中生不知道该选择什么课程。教育部的数据显示，一些西班牙社区的辍学率达到 40%。本研究旨在分析学生选择学位课程的最重要原因，以及他们根据学校类型和所选择的学习领域帮助他们选择的信息来源。方法 来自西班牙各地的 2,254 名学生的样本完成了两份先前经过验证的问卷。结果 结果表明，一般而言，内在动机更受重视。学生使用最多且评价较高的信息来源是大学网站和家庭建议。私立学校的学生对大学组织的指导活动的评价高于公立学校的学生。Mann-Whitney U 和 Kruskal-Wallis 的统计数据表明，想要攻读艺术和人文或服务领域学位的学生更看重内在成分。结论 这些发现提供了质量信息，可用于提高指导咨询活动的有效性。