Aggregated Results of Access Programs Implemented by Universities in Chile: Students’ Persistence using a Matched Sample

Abstract

During the last ten years, a group of selective universities in Chile has started admission programs to increase equity in higher education that consider the achievement of students in the context of educational opportunities they have had, thus reducing reliance on the national college entrance exam. This study explores persistence rates of students admitted through these programs using matching procedures and inferential analyses; in particular, logistic regressions and hazard models were conducted in a matched sampled based on students´ demographic characteristic. Although results vary slightly depending on the methodology used and the specific period of time under analysis, we observe non-statistically significant differences between students admitted by these programs and matched counterparts. These results are auspicious considering the different academic profile of students enrolled in higher education through equity access programs.