Nurzhanova, Ulpan2024-06-102024-06-102024Nurzhanova, U. (2024). Academic and Professional Success: Parental Expectations and High School Students’ Aspirations. Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Educationhttp://nur.nu.edu.kz/handle/123456789/7802The family environment is the first educational environment in which children get early education and guidance (Roostin, 2018). However, every society and family has unique resources and assets, which may impact the fulfillment of children’s dreams and aspirations in adulthood. Thus, whether children can learn to build their dreams and aspirations in a specific environment is still being determined. Therefore, there is a need for more research to understand this topic better, particularly in the context of Kazakhstan. Although some studies focus on prospective university students’ career choices and professional interests, more comprehensive research should be conducted on the reasons behind those choices, including parents’ perspectives. To address this gap, a qualitative phenomenological study, followed by self-ethnography, was undertaken to examine how various family factors shape parental expectations and high school students’ aspirations. The study involved conducting semi-structured interviews with five high school students and their parents to provide valuable contextual insights. Moreover, self-ethnography was included in the discussion chapter to give the audience a deeper reflective perspective through the researcher’s personal experience. The findings revealed that high school students based their choices on various environmental factors, with personal and academic interests and family being the most influential. Regarding parental expectations, those with higher educational degrees and more financial resources tend to expect more from their children. However, among all factors, parents’ occupations had the least influence on their expectations and students’ aspirations. Moreover, the researcher’s personal story in the discussion chapter proves the experiences shared by the participants. The research emphasizes the significance of the environment in shaping children’s future, suggesting policy interventions, school-based initiatives, and the need for longitudinal studies.enType of access: Restrictededucationstudents' aspirationsparents' expectationsMaster's thesis