Abstract:
The study aimed at measuring the level of critical thinking held by students of the first-year in Riyadh secondary schools, and assessing its relation with their desire of joining the branch of study and academic achievement. To achieve this goal, the researcher developed a test consisting of 69 items and was used on a sample of 288 students. The results of the study revealed the following: The level of critical thinking held by students of the first year in secondary schools in Riyadh was at average. There is a statistically significant difference at (0.05) in the level of critical thinking due to the desire of joining the branch of study. There is a statistically significant difference at (0.05) in the level of critical thinking due to the academic achievement.