Project a research on the factors affecting the university choices and career choices of imam-hatip high school senior students

The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting the university and profession preferences of senior students of the project imam-hatip high school. In the research, a case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used. In this respect, the study was conducted with 5 Project Imam-Hatip high schools in 4 districts in the center of Antalya in the 2023-2024 academic year, and a total of 30 senior students, 15 girls and 15 boys, in these high schools were determined as the study group. Data were collected from these students through a semi-structured interview form and the findings were subjected to content analysis. As a result of the research, it was determined that the senior students of the project imam-hatip high school were influenced by the location of the higher education institution, its brand value, the quality of its social environment, the diversity of social, cultural and sports activities, education, scholarship, housing, career and job opportunities in their university preferences; and family, social environment, social media, prestige of the profession, economic reasons, personality traits and the desire to influence the existing order in their department preferences. In addition, it has been determined that these students demand that those who carry out vocational guidance activities should be people who know their interlocutors and have knowledge in their field, and in this respect, they want them to guide them correctly according to their interests, abilities and desires. In addition, it has been understood that students have some positive and negative opinions about choosing the field of theology, due to various reasons.