Multi-Channel College Entrance System: Relationship between Family Background, Academic Achievement and Entrance Channels

Author: Fang-Hua Tien(Center for Teacher Education, National Taiwan University),Tsu-Tan Fu(Institute of Economics Academia Sinica)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 54, No. 1
Date：March 2009
Pages：209-233
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2009035401008

Abstract：

Purposes of this research are: (1) Analyzing differences of family background among students who were admitted to colleges via different entrance channels; (2) Comparing academic achievement of college students who are enrolled via different entrance channels. A survey was conducted. The survey population is defined as the first year college students enrolling in twelve universities. Statistical methods employed in this study include multinomial logit regression and interval regression. The main findings are: (1) After controlling for the effects of gender, father's ethnicity, mother's ethnicity, father's occupation, father's education, and the respondents' major, students of better educated mother tend to have higher chances of entering colleges via applying for admissions rather than taking entrance examination. (2) Holding other variables constant, the odds of applying for admissions to enter college compare to taking united entrance examination channel are higher among natural science and engineering students than humanities and social sciences students. (3) After considering the effects of gender, family socioeconomic status, majors, public or private university controls, and learning habits, college freshmen who entering colleges via "individual-apply" channel or "high school recommend" channel perform better academically in the first year than those who were enrolled by taking united entrance examination channel.

Keywords：Multiple Channels of College Entrance System, higher education, family background, academic achievement

《Full Text》