Similarity of value systems as a determinant of educational choice at university level

First‐year undergraduate students enrolling in Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences at Flinders University completed the Rokeach Value Survey. One group ranked terminal and instrumental values in their order of importance to themselves (Own Values). The other group ranked them in the order they thought a student completing work in their School would emphasize them (School Values). It was predicted that students' own value systems would more closely resemble the perceived value system of the School they selected than the perceived value systems of the Schools they rejected. This hypothesis was generally supported by the results but the predicted differences in correlation were very small in regard to Social Sciences and Sciences and more clearcut for Humanities. Implications of the “value match” for selection and for subsequent adjustment in the work situation were discussed. 1971 Australian Psychological Society