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Schooling effects on undergraduate performance: evidence from the University of Barcelona

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Abstract

This study analyzes the effects of several factors related to high school, such as the kind of school (public or private), the type of education (general or vocational), school location and peers on undergraduate performance from students of the University of Barcelona (Spain). Particular attention is given to the functional form and to the collection of “unobservables”. Empirical results show that variables related to high school, such as having attended in a private religious school or peer effects of their school contemporaries, are determinant in university final grades. In addition, students’ ability, some household’s characteristics and the 1990 Education Act are also important.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Servei de Gestió Acadèmica of the University of Barcelona for supplying the data and Ms. Amparo Asensi. Any errors, however, are attributable to the authors. Toni Mora gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology by means of grant SEJ2006-01161/ECON.

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Mora, T., Escardíbul, JO. Schooling effects on undergraduate performance: evidence from the University of Barcelona. High Educ 56, 519–532 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-007-9108-y

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