The Impact of Financial Stability, Social Environment, Opportunities, and Technology on High School Students' Decision-Making

Background/purpose. High school students' decisions to pursue higher education are influenced by financial stability, social environment, technological access, and available opportunities. While prior studies examined these factors separately, this study explores their combined effects in Lumajang Regency, Indonesia.

Materials/methods. Using a quantitative explanatory approach with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this study analyzes the impact of financial conditions, social environment, opportunities, and technology. A sample of 385 students was selected through proportional random sampling, with data collected via structured questionnaires. Hypothesis testing was conducted using bootstrapping analysis in SmartPLS 4.

Results. Financial conditions significantly influence opportunities (β = 0.786, p < 0.05), which strongly impact students’ education decisions (β = 0.838, p < 0.05). The social environment affects technology adoption (β = 0.811, p < 0.05), though technology does not directly shape educational choices. Self-confidence is the strongest predictor (β = 0.859, p < 0.05). Female students show higher financial literacy, self-confidence, and decision-making capabilities than males. These findings suggest that internal and external readiness factors must be simultaneously addressed to support informed student decisions.

Conclusion. Financial stability and social support play key roles in shaping students' higher education choices, while structured technology use is essential. It is recommended that policies focus on expanding financial aid programs, strengthening digital literacy education, and providing targeted career counseling to enhance students’ educational transitions. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs to better capture changes over time.

Keywords: Education decision-making, financial stability, social environment, technology adoption, academic choices

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