Heterogeneity in the Developmental Trajectories of Chinese Youth Educational Aspirations: Identifying Predictors and Outcomes

This study investigated the development of educational aspirations (EAs) among Chinese youth (n = 2228, 48.61% female, 87.66% Han, M_{age_2010} = 11.48 years) for 6 years. Five latent classes of EA trajectories were identified. They varied greatly during early adolescence but converged around an associate degree in middle adolescence and beyond and demonstrated high rank-order stability across the period of study. High academic performance and academic competence (adolescent-reported) and educational involvement, academic expectations, and family socioeconomic status (parent-reported) predicted loftier EA trajectories. Consistent EA beyond an associate degree predicted a greater probability of college enrollment in emerging adulthood. Findings are interpreted with respect to China's sociocultural context, a society characterized by high collectivism and regard for academic achievements.