This exploratory qualitative study examined factors that could influence the educational and career decision-making of the senior students in the Northern part of Vietnam. The researcher was interested in the students and their parents' perceptions of the contextual factors, gender, individual factors, and the challenges that contribute to the students' academic and career decision-making. Based on previous studies, the conceptual framework of this study consists of the contextual factors that are characteristics of the larger system around the students, the individual factors relate to students' academic achievement, the beliefs and values students and parents have regarding occupational interests, and the gender factor. Ninety-five students and 47 parents from 12 public schools in Hanoi, Yen Bai, Lao Cai participated in this study. Qualitative data was collected from individual interviews. The students came from four different types of schools: the regular urban public high schools, the public tracking high school, the center for vocational and technical orientation, and the regular rural public high school. The analysis was conducted on the ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis program to investigate how the contextual factors, individual factors and gender influenced the Vietnamese senior high school students' educational and career choices. The researcher also analyzed the challenges perceived by the students and their parents. The results showed that these factors: parents' support, residence area, school structure, gender, the students' values and beliefs, and their grade point average have considerable influence on the Vietnamese senior high school students' educational and career choices. The findings were discussed in term of implications for educational policy in the context of Vietnam, implications for practice and for future study. This study contributed to the knowledge base of education in Vietnam and comparative education in the context of Asia and Pacific region. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]