What do students expect to do after finishing upper secondary school?

Abstract

The percentage of students who expect to complete university is highest in Korea (80%) and lowest in Latvia (25%). Many high-performing students do not expect to go to university, representing potentially lost talent to an economy and society while many low-performing students think they will make it to university, even if their current performance suggests they are not likely to succeed. Around one in four students expects to end his or her formal schooling at the upper secondary level and thus needs the skills to make a smooth transition into work and adulthood.