Subject choice and inequalities in access to Higher Education: Comparing Scotland and Ireland

(2015) - Cristina Iannelli, Markus Klein

Journal: AQMeN
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Tags:: #paper #Attainment #SocialClass #Education
Cite Key:: [@Iannelli2015]

Abstract

There are significant social inequalities in access to Higher Education in Scotland and Ireland. However, the importance of subject choice in reproducing these inequalities varies in the two countries.  Pupils from working class backgrounds in Scotland take fewer academic subjects – those that facilitate access to Higher Education – than in Ireland. This pattern has remained persistent for the last 30 years.  Although the level of social inequality in Higher Education entry has fallen over time, it has reduced more in Ireland than in Scotland.  Social inequalities in entry to Higher Education are mostly explained by subject choice in Scotland. By contrast, they are more strongly associated with academic performance in Ireland.  Patterns of social inequality and the role of school subject choice varies by type of Higher Education institution both in Scotland and Ireland.

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