Exploring the Causes of Success and Failure Among Students Preparing for the University Entrance Examination: A Grounded Theory Study

Objective: This study aimed to explore the causes of success and failure among students preparing for the university entrance examination.

Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a grounded theory design based on the Strauss and Corbin approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 87 participants selected through purposive-theoretical sampling, including academic counselors, parents of students with high and low examination ranks, and students with high and low ranks. Data analysis was performed through open, axial, and selective coding. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached.

Findings: The findings showed that success factors were organized into seven major categories: individual, family, school, examination preparation process, peer-related, study-related, and social factors. Important success-related factors included mental health, self-awareness, career exploration and planning, academic self-efficacy, study skills, motivation, family support, parenting style, teacher behavior, school climate, supportive peers, and appropriate study conditions. Failure factors were organized into eight major categories: individual, family, school, peer-related, examination preparation process, study-related, social, and economic factors. Major failure-related factors included poor mental health, weak study skills, erroneous beliefs, unhealthy lifestyle, lack of self-awareness, lack of career exploration and planning, family tension, weak parental involvement, negative school climate, lack of teacher support, discouraging peers, demotivation, and financial difficulties. Overall, the most influential factors in success were self-awareness, career exploration and planning, parental expectations, and teachers’ behavior, whereas the most influential factors in failure were lack of self-awareness, lack of career exploration and planning, family climate, and school climate.

Conclusion: Success and failure in the university entrance examination are multidimensional phenomena shaped by the interaction of individual, family, school, educational, and social factors. Understanding these interconnected influences may help educational planners, counselors, and families develop more effective strategies to support students’ academic performance.