The Predictive Value of a Student's Choice of Vocation

Using large samples of college students, this study compares the forecasting value of a student's initial report of his vocational choice with the Vocational Preference Inventory. Student vocational choices were categorized according to a 6‐category classification scheme for men and an 8‐category scheme for women. The relationships between initial and final vocational choices, and between VPI high‐point codes and final vocational choices over 8‐ and 12‐month intervals, were examined. The results indicate that the predictive efficiency of a student's expressed choice is about twice that of the Vocational Preference Inventory. The results suggest that researchers and counselors should make greater use of a person's expressed choices and that interest inventories should be used with more discrimination. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.