European countries differ in their approach to selection of suited candidates for teacher training studies. Several countries, e.g. Finland (Kohonen, 2007), make use of high stakes selection methods that take school grades and subject-specific entrance tests into account for a decision on the allocation of free spaces predetermined by quotas. Due to the assumption that the momentous consequences of high stakes selection methods are not sufficiently justifiable with regard to the current state of research on the predictors, in other countries (e.g. Austria, Germany, Switzerland) low stakes selection methods are propagated that aim at enabling candidates to check their suitability for teacher training by themselves before entering the studies (Schaarschmidt & Kieschke, 2007). The third basic model for suitability selection of teacher training students includes all kinds of dialogical selection methods that promote self-assessment or self-selection during the course of studies.

Low stakes and dialogical selection methods are based on assumptions of career development theory (Super, 1957) and the person-environment interaction model of Holland (1997). According to these theories occupational and career choices lead to higher subjective and objective success in vocational training and profession when the congruency (fit) between a person’s traits and the requirements of the occupational environment is rather high. For this reason, dimensions of general personality traits, motivations, vocational attitudes etc. are included in entrance tests and/or counseling before and during the course of studies. Occasionally, there are slightly harsher statements about “driving-off counseling” of individual students with an inadequate personality structure (Criblez & Lehmann, 2007). The research question emerges whether such “soft” measures of a person’s suitability have satisfying predictive power on success in teacher training studies and in the teaching profession or not.

The project of career counseling for teacher training students at the University of Salzburg, Austria, (Eder & Hörl, 2011) is mainly based on the theories mentioned above. It aims at supporting the participants to develop a clear conception of their self and to connect this conception with the requirements of the teaching profession. To this end the teacher training students take tests and questionnaires on their basic personality traits (NEO-FFI; Borkenau & Ostendorf, 1993), vocational interests (AIST; Bergmann & Eder, 1995), cognitive skills (Heller & Perleth, 2000), motives of vocational choice (Mayr, 1998) and vocational attitudes and values (Bergmann, 2008), achievement motivation (Schuler, Prochaska & Frintrup, 2001), self-concept (Eder, 2007) and self-efficacy (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1999). The mandatory tests are conducted during the second term of study. Students receive written feedback about their results including interpretation guidelines. The project is evaluated within an international research network.

Our research contributes to the assessment of predictive validity of such measures in general. In the presentation our latest findings are discussed. Predictive validity is reasoned on the criteria of general study success as well as reported satisfaction with the course of studies. The results concern all models of suitability selection methods outlined above. Additionally, an argument is made on the usefulness of this distinct kind of career counseling for quality assurance in teacher trainings.

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