College Education and Profession

Retrospect on school and learning conditions of college graduates of
the University and Technical College of Munich and judgement on current
professional situation.

Topics: 1. General information on social and financial situation: see
Demography.

2. School and college education: city size of cities where school was
attended; type of school; evaluation of the higher school regarding
skills provided; assessment of social class of family at the time of
attending higher school; point in time of personal decision or parents´
desire for taking up university studies; length of temporal
interruption between high school graduation and studies as well as
reasons for this interruption; most important criteria for the choice
of college city (scale); faculty or subject area; intellectual interest
besides personal field of specialization; continuity or interruption of
studies; general judgement on time of studies and skills learned
(scale); alternatives to university education; expected influence of
size, location and image of the university on one´s own occupational
chances; certainty of the profession idea during studies as well as
reasons for uncertainty; professional alternatives considered; interest
in acquisition of a higher university degree (doctorate, Habilitation);
taking up further studies; length of interruption between examination
and supplemental studies; type of activity exercised in this time;
occupational activities during the second study; assumed professional
or social advantages of a higher university degree; assumed advantages
of a college graduate compared to professional colleagues without
college education; assessment of the necessity of personal further
education measures in the future; judgement on significance of selected
final examinations or tests on general social position and professional
career; point in time of decision for current professional career.

3. Professional situation: profession or ideas about future profession
area and the desired professional position; length and type of
activity; company size; status in profession; change of job and
occupation as well as assessment of probability of future changes;
assessment of significance of special knowledge or all-round education
for one´s own professional position; judgement on practice-orientation
of university education; self-assessment of career chances; atmosphere
at work; most important factors for one´s own choice of profession and
job (scales); most important employer expectations in selecting
personnel (scale); assessment of decisive criteria in personally being
hired (scale); assessment of influence of professional experience and
achievement-orientation on career development; significance of type of
college for professional advancement; salary classification due to age
or achievement; assessment of future opportunities to earn for
graduates; occupational future expectations; conduct with loyality
conflicts with employer; importance of selected goals in life (scale);
life and job satisfaction.

Demography: age (classified); sex; marital status; income; city size;
state; school education and type of college degree of father or mother
or spouse; occupational position of father or mother; annual income of
father or mother or spouse (classified); employment of mother or
spouse; estimate of annual income in 10 years; receipt of scholarships
or loans; receipt of financial support by parents; living in a group
sharing a residence; personal share and share of spouse in total family
annual income.