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Individual and school factors affecting students’ participation and success in higher education

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify school factors that affect students’ achievements at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. The analysis included data of 9,894 students who studied in Auckland regional secondary schools in 2004. The results indicate that, although student demographic characteristics are associated with students’ pathways and achievements, schools’ demographic composition did not affect student outcomes. It was found, however, that schools’ organisational factors do have an effect. At the university level, none of the schools’ characteristics was related to students’ achievements at the higher end of the achievement scale (GPA ≥ 4). However, students from private or state-integrated schools were found to be more likely to achieve low GPA (<2) than students who came from state schools. In conclusion, it is suggested that interventions targeting at-risk populations based on demographic factors should focus on individuals or groups rather than on institutions; while school-based interventions should identify the schools by their structure and function rather than by their demographic characteristics.

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Notes

  1. A New Zealand system used to rank schools by the socioeconomic composition of their students. It ranges from 1 (low) to 10 (high) decile, http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?id=7697.

  2. The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72); High School and Beyond study (HS&B-80); The National Educational Longitudinal Study of the Eighth Grade Class of 1988 (NELS 88).

  3. The University’s GPA scores are: A+ = 9, A = 8, A− = 7, B+ = 6, B = 5, B− = 4, C+ = 3, C = 2, C− = 1, D+/D/D− = 0.

  4. NELS 88: The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NCES 2006).

  5. http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?id=7697.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

    Boaz Shulruf, John Hattie & Sarah Tumen

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  1. Boaz Shulruf
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Correspondence to Boaz Shulruf.

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Shulruf, B., Hattie, J. & Tumen, S. Individual and school factors affecting students’ participation and success in higher education. High Educ 56, 613–632 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-008-9114-8

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