What Is the Difference between a "Top" and a "Rather Prestigious" University? Career Expectations of Students of Leading and Non-Selective Universities
Abstract
The research analyses how perceptions of career start are related to the institutional characteristics of universities of different statuses using data from 44 interviews with undergraduate students in three Russian regions. Students had similar and vague career images when they entered university, which were operationalised over the course of their studies, but in different ways, depending on their perception of employability capitals and self-efficacy in using them. As perceived by students of top universities, higher education provides them with universal competences, a strong signal to employers, long-term social connections, knowledge of professional culture, practical information, and developed services to support their transition to the labor market. Students of non-selective universities rely on favorable major specialization, tend to underestimate the university's reputational capital, are poorly informed about the "rules of the game," and are passive in the use of university infrastructural capital. Despite the relatively slight variance in the selectivity of universities, differences in the perceptions of the institutional environment lead to a significant stratification of expectations and career entry opportunities. Students from leading universities appropriate the image of a successful middle-class career, have the advantage of trying out different career fields, and a funneled pathway to start from higher positions in prestigious industries and companies. Non-selective university students have less defined and ambitious career visions. They are focused on more modest and incremental development within their chosen major, starting from the lowest rungs of the ladder, but commonly begin their careers in low-skilled and casual jobs.
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