Patterns of Social Inequalities in Access to Higher Education in France and Germany

Abstract

This article explores social selectivity in access to tertiary education in France and Germany in the period from 1980 to 2000. Results of multinomial logistic regression models show that access to different postsecondary institutions is characterized by marked social background effects in both countries. Depending on the type of tertiary institution we consider in France or Germany, social selectivity into fi elds of study is also observed. Overall, there is no indication for substantial changes in the pattern of inequality in access to tertiary education in either country during the past two decades.

Exploring the heterogeneity of class in higher education: social and cultural differentiation in Danish university programmes

“…Others find support for the diversion thesis; namely, that expansion lessens inequality but through a channelling of first-generation students into less prestigious programmes and institutions (Ayalon and Yogev 2005;Brint and Karabel 1989). Some studies point to the need for differentiating horizontally between HE institutions and fields of study (Duru-Bellat, Kieffer, and Reimer 2008;Goyette and Mullen 2006;Hansen and Mastekaasa 2006), while others find more limited support for the thesis that horizontal differentiation has increased (Reimer and Pollak 2009), arguing, however, that 'field of study' might be too coarse a category, hiding differentiations that might be revealed with more detailed categorizations (Jackson et al 2008).…”

On Positioning of Business, Management and Economics Fields of Study in the University Space

“…More women than men enter higher education, but women still remain under-represented in the more lucrative technical and prestigious fields of study and over-represented in languages, education science and teacher training courses (Zarifa, 2012;Van de Werfhorst, Kraaykamp, 2001;Van de Werfhorst, Luijkx, 2010;OECD, 2014). A number of studies show that while parental level of educational attainment does clearly influence a young person's field of study choice, gender in fact has a greater influence here (Duru-Bellat, Kieffer, Reimer, 2008).…”

School achievement and family background in Greece: a new exploration of an omnipresent relationship

“…Nevertheless, consideration of possible social class differentials at the transition level between secondary and tertiary education is not frequent in the sociological and educational literature, (for recent attempts on secondary education achievement, see Zarycki 2007;Duru-Bellat, Kieffer, and Reimer 2008;Reimer and Pollack, 2010), and rare in works referring to the contemporary Greek educational context (for more recent attempts see Vryonides 2003Vryonides , 2007Psacharopoulos and Tassoulas 2004;Sianou-Kyrgiou 2008). The use of multivariate models in recent studies that employs 'cultural capital' as an independent variable that affects school achievement and/ or access to HE is even more scarce (Bodovski 2010;Flere et al 2010;Jaeger 2011), and for contemporary Greece is almost non-existent (for earlier attempts see Psacharopoulos and Papas 1987;Katsillis and Rubinson 1990).…”

“…Tables 2 and 3 depict a general representation of the cultural capital of students (resources and activities). We also examined one of the most cited factors in the international literature that influence student performance: parental occupation and parental educational level (Power et al 2003;Van de Verfhorst, Sullivan, and Cheung 2003;Anguiano 2004;Reay et al 2005;Schulz 2005;Konstantopoulos 2006;Duru-Bellat, Kieffer, and Reimer 2008;Bodovski 2010;Reimer and Pollack 2010).…”