Starting dual training or continuing to attend school?

At the end of lower secondary education, many young people are faced with the question of how they should proceed. Should they continue at school, undertake a practical placement, gain experience abroad or begin dual training? This article investigates the factors which influence their choice and how the educational preferences of pupils change over the course of Year 9. The basis for this investigation is provided by data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), which was evaluated within the scope of the BIBB project “Educational orientation and decision-making of adolescents in the context of competing educational opportunities”.