Studying without a high school diploma: Educational decisions and biographical transitions

This paper discusses the biographies of two non-traditional students who gained access to higher education by taking a subject-related entrance examination. Narrative interviews were analysed using objective hermeneutics to reconstruct their motivational structures and continuing biographical trajectories after graduation. Although both subjects represent distinct success stories, they differ in terms of motivation, values, strategies, and goals, which are also shaped by family and social environment. Ultimately, comparing these two cases highlights the importance of educational options for this group of people.