Does Studying in a Strong School Guarantee Good College Performance?

Abstract

The paper tests the hypothesis about better academic performance of graduates from stronger high schools and the nature of correlations between college students’ achievements and their high school performance (whether they performed on average better or worse than their peers) with due regard for school characteristics. Regression analysis is used to measure the relationship between college performance and USE (Unified State Exam) scores, the type of high school, and high school performance (while controlling for individual student characteristics), as well as the fact of receiving regional Governor’s scholarship in addition to student allowance. The sample includes 313 first-year Economics and Management students admitted to National Research University Higher School of Economics (Perm) in 2012 and 2013. Cumulative first-year GPA is used as an indicator of academic performance. As it turns out, graduating from an advanced high school or from a school with high average USE scores in mathematics provides no guarantee of better educational outcomes for firstyear students. High school performance correlates positively with academic achievements in college, the degree of relationship depending on school characteristics. Educational outcomes of students who performed better than average in low-performing schools can be explained by the high level of  ntrinsic motivation typical of academically successful students. Therefore, ignoring the information on college performance of graduates from low-performing schools may lead to underestimating their academic achievement. The fact of receiving a Governor’s scholarship proves to be a significant performance factor for Management students only.