STUDENT ASPIRATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS: A STATISTICAL REVIEW OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE CHOICES IN NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of the university study choices of high school students from North Macedonia in 2024 and 2025. The research is based on 424 students’ survey responses in both years, analyzing key trends in higher education background, university field selection, financial influence and migration intentions. Through statistical analyses, we have detected the preferences in the study fields, variations in the impact of socioeconomic factors, and evolving student perspectives on studying abroad vs. staying in North Macedonia. In order to have a representative sample, we have collected data from students from 8 different cities around North Macedonia. By conducting some statistical tests, we have tried to identify the dependent and independent variables that could be extracted from the survey questions.
Considering the type of universities in which the students may study here and abroad, the initial findings indicate that public universities remain the dominant choice, with 73% of students choosing them in 2024 and 72% in 2025.
Regarding study fields, Medicine experienced a notable rise in popularity, increasing from 24% in 2024 to 39% in 2025. Besides that, the fields that maintained their positions in the most preferred fields are Economics Law and Architecture and Construction.
Migration trends also shifted significantly. The proportion of students intending to remain in North Macedonia increased from 34.9% in 2024 to 45.7% in 2025, while those considering moving abroad dropped from 33.3% to 23.5%. The percentage of undecided students remained stable at around 31% across both years.
By conducting several chi-square tests for different pairs of variables we have found out that the only significant relationship is the one between the high school background and the university study fields. On the other hand, there is no significant relationship between the family income and the type of the university (public or private). The same is valid for the variables of family income and the intention to migrate or stay in the country.
These valuable insights contribute to understanding the dynamics of higher education decision-making and offer recommendations for policymakers and educators to improve career guidance strategies. We consider that it is of a great importance the students to have professional guidance while deciding on their profession, depending on their skills, the need of the professions in the labor market, etc. because the impact of only family and friends sometimes may be misleading in the process of choosing the right profession.