In this article the situation of students entering higher education is analysed. Many times, students reach this stage without clear objectives that serve as a guide to the training process, which can lead them to situations of maladjustment and school dropout. To this end, following a descriptive non-experimental methodology, a questionnaire was completed anonymously by a sample of 115 students from the Faculty of Education at the University of La Laguna (Spain). Two major goals marked the development of the research. First, analyse how university students manage their learning according to the new educational model of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Moreover, to know what expectations they have regarding the planning of their educational and professional project. The main results obtained in the study showed the importance of the processes of information and guidance to the university student as key elements to improve decision-making regarding the planning and career development. Similarly, it stands the influence that motivational factors have in the management of the formative and professional project. The most important conclusion highlights the need for guidance measures to help students define their educational project and clarify their professional future.

university guidance; training and professional project; career planning; student retention; educational quality; Spain