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Degree performance of Economics students in UK universities: absolute and relative performance in prior qualifications

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  • Robin Naylor
  • Jeremy Smith

Abstract

We exploit individual‐level data on full cohorts of UK university leavers who were enrolled for an Economics degree during the period 1984–85 to 1992–93 or the academic year 1997–98. We analyse the determinants of degree performance and find that performance depends not only on prior qualifications as measured by A‐level scores, for example, but also on the individual student's ranking (based on their A‐level scores) within their cohort at their university. The students' performance is also enhanced by having previously studied mathematics, although there is no benefit from the prior study of Economics. We find that attendance at an Independent school has a negative effect on degree performance, and that there are comparatively few social class background effects. Females are more likely than males to obtain a good degree.

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  • Robin Naylor & Jeremy Smith, 2004. "Degree performance of Economics students in UK universities: absolute and relative performance in prior qualifications," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 51(2), pages 250-265, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:51:y:2004:i:2:p:250-265
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0036-9292.2004.00305.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bratti, Massimiliano, 2002. "Does the choice of university matter?: a study of the differences across UK universities in life sciences students' degree performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 431-443, October.
    2. Lorraine Dearden & Javier Ferri & Costas Meghir, 2002. "The Effect Of School Quality On Educational Attainment And Wages," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(1), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Jeremy Smith & Robin Naylor, 2001. "Determinants of Degree Performance in UK Universities: A Statistical Analysis of the 1993 Student Cohort," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 63(1), pages 29-60, February.
    4. Smith, Jeremy & McKnight, Abigail & Naylor, Robin, 2000. "Graduate Employability: Policy and Performance in Higher Education in the UK," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(464), pages 382-411, June.
    5. Naylor, Robin & Smith, Jeremy & McKnight, Abigail, 2002. "Why Is There a Graduate Earnings Premium for Students from Independent Schools?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 315-339, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Judith M. Delaney & Paul J. Devereux, 2020. "How Gender and Prior Disadvantage Predict Performance in College," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 51(2), pages 189-239.
    2. Philip Wales, 2013. "Access All Areas? The Impact of Fees and Background on Student Demand for Postgraduate Higher Education in the UK," SERC Discussion Papers 0128, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Francis Green & Stephen Machin & Richard Murphy & Yu Zhu, 2012. "The Changing Economic Advantage from Private Schools," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 79(316), pages 658-679, October.
    4. Carolina Castagnetti & Luisa Rosti, 2010. "The Gender Gap in Academic Achievements of Italian Graduates," Quaderni di Dipartimento 118, University of Pavia, Department of Economics and Quantitative Methods.
    5. Francis Green & Stephen Machin & Richard Murphy & Yu Zhu, 2008. "Competition for private and state school teachers," CEE Discussion Papers 0094, Centre for the Economics of Education, LSE.
    6. Wales, Philip, 2013. "Access all areas? The impact of fees and background on student demand for postgraduate higher education in the UK," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 57846, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Thanos Mergoupis & Robertas Zubrickas, 2024. "Work experience, information revelation, and study effort," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 76(2), pages 495-513.

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