Motivating factors influencing college students' choice of academic major.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the factors, motivations, and nonacademic influences that affected the choice of major among pharmacy and nonpharmacy undergraduate students.


METHODS
A survey was administered to 618 pharmacy and nonpharmacy majors to assess background and motivational factors that may have influenced their choice of major. The sample consisted of freshman and sophomore students enrolled in a required speech course.


RESULTS
African-American and Hispanic students were less likely to choose pharmacy as a major than Caucasians, whereas Asian-Americans were more likely to choose pharmacy as a major. Pharmacy students were more likely to be interested in science and math than nonpharmacy students.


CONCLUSIONS
Students' self-reported racial/ethnic backgrounds influence their decision of whether to choose pharmacy as their academic major. Results of this survey provide further insight into developing effective recruiting strategies and enhancing the marketing efforts of academic institutions.
Keshishian
Flora
F
St. John'sUniversity, Department of Rhetoric, Communication andTheatre, Queens, NY 11439, USA. keshishf@stjohns.edu
Brocavich
Joseph M
JM
Boone
R Thomas
RT
Pal
Somnath
S
D002321:Career Choice; D003657:Decision Making; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult