College choice among prospective health professions majors: implications for nursing education

Factors associated with high school students' decisions to pursue health-related fields of study were investigated using the "Survey of Future Plans of High School Seniors." Data from 10,878 seniors were analyzed using regression and discriminant analysis. Results indicated that: The applicant pool for health professions overlapped most with the applicant pool for education, but education majors were characterized by lower academic aptitude; the specific characteristics of a college were less important to those entering health professions than to those entering other majors; and, health profession applicants with higher academic aptitude purport life goals more consistent with professional advancement than do lower aptitude applicants.