Who Chooses? Exploring Family, Gender, and Aspirations in Chinese High School Subject Selection

In 2014, Chinas college entrance examination (Gaokao) reform introduced the 3+1+2 curriculum framework, which links students high school subject choices to their future college majors and enrollment opportunities. This study explores how these pivotal academic decisions are influenced by parental expectations, gender norms, and students career aspirations within the context of the new policy. Using a mixed-methods approachincorporating semi-structured interviews and written responseswe explore the interplay of these factors among 34 students in Beijing, China. Findings show 61.8% of students aligned their choices with parental preferences: highly educated parents (with a masters degree or higher) predominantly steered students toward STEM fields (50%), while 80% of low-educated parents (with a junior high school education or lower) favored humanities, driven by perceptions of stable employment for government jobs. Gender differences were also evident: males leaned toward STEM (e.g., computer science), and females toward arts/humanities. Most students (79.4%) had clear interests (63% influenced by family), while 20.6% made utilitarian choices. While the 3+1+2 reform expands subject choices, it remains constrained by family background and gender norms, reproducing inequalities. We recommend enhancing information support for low-educated families and providing gender-equitable guidance to foster inclusive decision-making.