BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The capacity to make decisions is crucial in the development of life responsibility.

Students have a fundamental right to participate in decisions that affect them,

according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They need to develop

preferences and decisions in response to circumstances that emerge from a specific

need, issue, or expectation. In light of the many definitions offered on the topic, the

decision-making process, which is described as the assessment of options or the

formulation of preferences, seems to be viewed as a process based on societal values.

Graduating high school students must make one of the most important choices of their

lives, choosing a future profession. The student’s objective in the decision-making

process may be described as finding the best answer based on his or her own purpose,

values, goals, and requirements.

Some parents believe that what they advise to their children in terms of pursuing a

career path is superior, but they often disregard what their children want. Parents have

the right to advise their children on the college courses they should take. However, the

children's preferences should be taken into account. The course should be a good

match for them, make them happy, and give them a feeling of accomplishment

[ CITATION Cordeta \l 1033 ]. Middleton and Loughead (1993) discuss how parents may

have a significant and beneficial impact on a students’ occupational development

choices. They do caution, however, that over-involvement in decision-making may

weaken parental impacts as a beneficial source of influence. Excessive parental

supervision over teenagers' employment decisions has harmful consequences (Nucci,

1996). Parents should be wary of putting their own ambitions on their children or
seeing their children's achievements as a reflection of themselves. While it is

important for parents to support and encourage students to explore the many options

available to them in order to find the best career fit, they must recognize that their role

is primarily that of facilitator in their child's career journey. Allowing a young person

to make independent career choices represents a significant step forward in their

transition to adulthood. In contrary, family members that are employed in the

academic area may serve as role models and testimonies for a student (Fung, 2018).

Money, on the other hand, is a delicate subject. It is one that is on almost every

students mind on a daily basis. And this is particularly true for college students, who

must continuously consider, worry about, and fret about how they will pay for their

education in order to get their degree. Many students have found it difficult to enroll

themselves in their courses since they do not have the money to do so. This has

prevented them from enrolling in courses that are financially feasible. Additionally,

Student influence was shown to occur in a number of ways by Faiter (2013), including

peer counseling, contact with peers, peer guidance, and interpersonal connections.

peer counselling is a method of connecting, reacting and assisting that is intended at

examining emotions, ideas and worries in the goal of gaining a comprehensive

understanding of the situation (Odirile, 2012). Peer counseling is a phenomena that

has developed in schools to assist students in resolving issues that they are

experiencing (Bett, 2013). It is the primary aim of peer counseling to help students

understand and respect one another while also emphasizing the significance of

obtaining an education (Odirile, 2012).

 Media also gives a significant influence in career decision-making. According to

Apostol and Näsi (2013), the younger generation is more media savvy, and social

dynamics are constantly shifting as a result of media exposure. People are also more

affected by the professions of media figures, according to Apostol and Näsi (2013).

As a result, according to Wroblewski and Huston (1987), television is one of the most

significant sources of occupational knowledge for children and adolescents since it

often depicts the work-related activities of fictitious people. As a result of this,

parents' occupation and skill set as well as their knowledge of their children's socio-

economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds, as well as their financial and moral

support for their children, are all important factors in career selection (Jodl et al, 2000;

Kracke, 1997; Noreen & Khalid, 2012). Several studies have also shown that an

individual's personal interests and preferences play a significant role in the decision-

making process when it comes to determining their professional path (Ilgen et al,

2003;Bundura et al., 2001; Angela & Bardick, 2004). In addition, career counseling is

an essential element that assists people in making decisions about their future careers

among the many different types of jobs available throughout the world (Amundson,

1984). Although there is an endless number of variables that affect an individual's job

choosing process, the primary goal of this research is to investigate the direct effects

of "parent's profession,"" mass media," and"personal choice" on students' career

selection decisions. In addition, it examines the reciprocal impact of a parent's job, the

media, and one's own personal preferences on a child's career decision.