Test Preparation and Students’ Performance: The Case of the Colombian High School Exit Exam

Silvia Gomez Soler, Gloria Bernal and Paula Herrera-Idárraga

Revista Cuadernos de Economia, 2019, vol. 39, issue 79, 31-72

Abstract: Standardized test scores play a central role in determining college admission decisions in both developed and emerging countries. For that reason, many courses are offered by schools and other educational institutions to prepare students for the exams. However, it is still unclear whether additional preparation has a positive and significant effect. The objective of this paper is to use the results of the Colombian high-school exit examination to gain a better understanding of the relationship between preparation and test results. Our results show that, on average, preparatory activities are associated with an increase of approximately 0.06 standard deviations in scores. ***** Los resultados de los exámenes estandarizados juegan un papel importante en las decisiones de admisión a la universidad en países desarrollados, emergentes y de bajos ingresos. Por esa razón, los colegios y otras instituciones educativas ofrecen cursos para preparar a los estudiantes. Sin embargo, no está claro si esta preparación adicional tiene un efecto positivo y significativo. Este artículo utiliza los resultados del examen de Estado colombiano para analizar la relación entre la preparación y el desempeno. Nuestros resultados muestran que, en promedio, las actividades de preparación están asociadas a un incremento de aproximadamente 0.06 desviaciones estándar en los puntajes.

Keywords: exit exams; economics of education; test preparation; shadow education; examen de Estado; economía de la educación; preparación para el examen; educación; sombra (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I20 I21 I24 I25 I26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:col:000093:017744

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