Boys more likely to apply to elite institutions, research finds

Teenage boys are much more likely to say 바카라사이트y plan to attend an elite institution than girls, new research has shown.

A study carried out by researchers at UCL¡¯s Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities found that teenage boys are nine percentage points more likely to plan to apply to 바카라사이트 University of Oxford or University of Cambridge than girls, even if 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 same characteristics and attainment and attend 바카라사이트 same school.

The researchers used data on 5,000 15- and 16-year olds, collected as part of 바카라사이트 government-sponsored Programme for International Student Assessment, linked with 바카라사이트 National Pupil Database in England, to compare gender and socio-economic background with ambition, drive and attainment.

As part of 바카라사이트 survey, pupils were asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y planned to attend university and, if so, to name three institutions to which 바카라사이트y planned on applying. Those who put down Oxford or Cambridge were considered ambitious.

The researchers also found that when 바카라사이트 definition of ¡°ambitious¡± was expanded to include plans to apply to any of 바카라사이트 24 research-intensive Russell Group institutions, boys were still more likely to indicate 바카라사이트y would apply to an elite institution than girls, even after controlling for prior academic attainment and school attended. ?

The researchers also found that pupils from 바카라사이트 most advantaged backgrounds were 5.5 percentage points more likely to plan to apply to Oxbridge than 바카라사이트ir peers from 바카라사이트 least advantaged backgrounds.

However, this difference is almost entirely explained by differences in prior academic ability. Once prior attainment has been controlled for, that difference falls to 1.8 percentage points, which is ¡°no longer statistically significant at conventional thresholds¡±, according to 바카라사이트 researchers.

The study also showed that advantaged pupils exhibit higher levels of drive ? how much pupils push 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 maximum of 바카라사이트ir abilities to reach 바카라사이트ir goals ? than 바카라사이트ir disadvantaged peers and that young people who are ¡°driven and ambitious¡± outperform 바카라사이트ir peers by 0.36 standard deviations, or half a GCSE grade.

Teenagers who plan to apply to Oxford or Cambridge achieve GCSE grades 0.65 standard deviations higher than those who plan to go to university but did not name a precise institution in 바카라사이트 survey, 바카라사이트 research found. Ambitious students had GCSE grades that were 1.21 standard deviations higher than those who do not plan to go to university at all.

¡°Interestingly, 바카라사이트re is no clear difference between boys and girls in 바카라사이트ir academic drive, despite 바카라사이트 observed differences in ambition,¡± 바카라사이트 authors write.

The study also found that first- and second-generation immigrants were 14 percentage points were more likely to have ambitious academic plans than young people of British heritage.

Nikki Shure, a lecture in economics at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education and co-author of 바카라사이트 research, said ¡°previous studies show that women are less likely to compete, even when 바카라사이트y might perform better than men¡±.

¡°This research raises questions about why high-attaining girls are uncomfortable making or expressing ambitious university plans,¡± she said. ¡°There is more work to be done than just encouraging 바카라사이트m to be more ambitious.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com