The high school effect on students’ mobility choices

Cristian Usala (), Mariano Porcu () and Isabella Sulis ()
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Cristian Usala: Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Mariano Porcu: Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Isabella Sulis: Università degli Studi di Cagliari

Statistical Methods & Applications, 2023, vol. 32, issue 4, No 10, 1259-1293

Abstract: Abstract This paper looks into the relationship between students’ university choices and their secondary school background. The main aim is to assess the role of secondary schools in steering university applications toward local or non-local institutions, also in the light of the tertiary education supply available in students’ areas of residence. With this aim, we classify students’ mobility choices by using a robust definition of local and non-local universities that accounts for the uncertainty in the definition of students’ local areas and their characteristics. In this framework, we apply a multilevel model to jointly consider the high school effect on the probability of students belonging to one specific category of mobility (local, forced non-local, free non-local) conditional upon students’ macro areas of residence, their chosen university and field of study. The findings highlight that high schools have a relevant role in affecting students’ mobility choices, especially when considering local universities. The magnitude of the effect depends on students’ macro area of residence. In particular, this result highlights that schools may pursue specific guidance policies to address students’ choices toward local universities; furthermore, it suggests that their influence on students is stronger in areas hosting the most important universities.

Keywords: Higher education; Mobility choices; Multilevel model; Uncertainty; School (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10260-023-00694-1

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