Determinants of undergraduate graduation rates in Chile

Abstract

The present study examines the factors that affect the graduation rate of undergraduate students in Chile. Using a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of students who entered higher education in the year 2011, sociodemographic, institutional, and academic variables are analyzed. The results show that students from high socioeconomic strata are more likely to graduate. There are also significant differences and higher probability of graduation for women over men. In addition, students from professional institutes and technical training centers have a higher probability of graduating than university students. Similarly, students with both good high school grades and mathematics SIMCE scores also have an increased probability of completing their undergraduate degrees. In conclusion, these findings can serve as a guide to identify the factors affecting graduation rates of higher education students in Chile, which consequently, can assist in developing public policies to improve them. © 2023,Formacion Universitaria. All Rights Reserved.