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ISEG Undergraduate Students: Determinants of Academic Performance

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  • LEÃO FERNANDES, GRAÇA
  • CHAGAS LOPES, MARGARIDA

Abstract

Over the last three decades there have been in Portugal a quite huge public investment in the school system and the implementation of an effective compulsory education. These changes came along with the democratization of school experience. Moreover the increase in the number of students in higher education is a national goal that have been pursued by education policy. Families, with fewer children, the perception of higher studies as a way to move up in the social ladder and better life conditions have an active behaviour on behalf of their children education. However, in spite of all the government and parents investment in children education, school failure is a major problem that affects all levels of education. At university level school failure affects mainly undergraduate students in their first year of studies1. This problem is a major concern for those involved in higher education political definition and this is why it becomes a research field of much interest. This paper intends to shed some light on the determinants of academic performance of undergraduate students of the School of Economics and Management in their first year of studies. Following Dollado and Morales (2007) we will measure success in academic performance using the exam´s marks in three 1st year subjects with decreasing degrees of mathematical complexity, Maths, Economy 1 and Management and Economic History. In this paper we go further than Dollado and Morales (2007) since, besides type of school, specialization track at high school and marks obtained at the university entry-exam, we study the role of individual characteristics, family socio-economic background and pre-university school trajectory on the academic performance. We put an emphasis on the effect of transitions from public\private or private\public schools and from in-home to out-home.

Suggested Citation

  • Leão Fernandes, Graça & Chagas Lopes, Margarida, 2008. "ISEG Undergraduate Students: Determinants of Academic Performance," MPRA Paper 22082, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:22082
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chagas Lopes, Margarida & Medeiros, João, 2004. "School Failure and Intergenerational “Human Capital” Transmission in Portugal," MPRA Paper 26764, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    5. Guyonne Kalb & Sholeh A. Maani, 2007. "The Importance of Observing Early School Leaving and Usually Unobserved Background and Peer Characteristics in Analysing Academic Performance," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2007n05, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chagas Lopes, Margarida & Leao Fernandes, Graça, 2011. "Interruptions and failure in higher education: evidence from ISEG-UTL," MPRA Paper 34227, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Margarida Chagas Lopes & Graça Leão Fernandes, 2012. "A comprehensive approach towards academic failure: the case of Mathematics I in ISEG graduation," Working Papers wp062012, SOCIUS, Research Centre in Economic and Organisational Sociology at the School of Economics and Management (ISEG) of the University of Lisbon.
    3. Dino Alves & Ana Balcao Reis & Carmo Seabra & Luis Catela-Nunes, 2015. "Determinants of Academic Success in Economics and Management," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 10, in: Marta Rahona López & Jennifer Graves (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 10, edition 1, volume 10, chapter 17, pages 335-356, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Success/failure in Graduation; Examination Marks; 1st. Year Critical Subjects; Family's Social & Economic Background; Previous Schooling; Portugal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics

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