Achieving a bachelor's degree in Colombia by passing a standardized exam is a method of completing secondary education that is little studied and understood, both by its students and the academy. In this context, this dissertation seeks to contribute by answering the question: What is the profile, motivations, and vision of the future of young applicants for the validation exam in 2022 in Colombia? The answer is given from the sociological concept of “agency” explained by academics Mische and Emirbayer (1998) as a temporally embedded process of social engagement. In this sense, this study was carried out by applying interviews with candidates for the validation exam in 2022 from three different angles: past, present, and future to recognize the contexts, objectives, and characteristics that constitute them. Conclusions of the relationship between the applicants for this bachelor's degree exam and this understanding of agency are clear: diverse student profiles, awareness of the social differences that exist in Colombia, feelings of relevance and belonging with traditional education surrounded by problematic educational pasts, an undoubted present and a future full of hopes, expectations, and clarity about the path they want to follow.
