181 adolescent home economics students in Palo Pinto County, Texas, were surveyed. The questions examined the following: grades and self concept of academic ability, self concept of academic ability and occupational aspirations, school size and occupational aspirations, sex and occupational aspirations, race and occupational aspirations, parents' occupational aspirations, parents' educational levels and occupational aspirations. The data suggested that career aspirations are positively related to self concept of ability, school grades, school size, race, parents' education, and fathers' occupations. Students' sex and their mothers' occupations were not shown to be related to career aspirations.

This study's purpose (May, 1980) was to determine nursing career preferences of twelfth-grade students in health occupation courses in Texas. Super's theory of career development provided the theoretical framework. Data collected via researcher-developed Nursing Career Survey (NCS) administered to students and a teacher questionnaire concerning course content were analyzed and reported by frequencies and percentages. The population (n=379): females, ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks, and Mexican-Americans), all levels of social classes (I/II, III, and IV/V), and preferrers of VN, ADN, Diploma, and BSN nursing programs.

The purposes of this study were to identify the factors influencing industrial-technical students in the choice of major area of study, to determine if certain areas were more influential when these students elected a major, and to provide information for industrial arts teacher-preparation programs that would aid in determining the reasons for the current industrial arts teacher shortage. From the study of factors influencing the student's choice of major, one may conclude that there is a definite need in the state of Texas for students to major in industrial arts education. One may also conclude that at the high school level, the industrial arts class and the industrial arts teacher have positive influences on the student when the student selects a college or university major. Perhaps the most significant conclusion is that the existence of an industrial arts teacher shortage is, in part, due to the fact that teaching salaries are not competitive with salaries offered by industry.