Permeability and Higher Education Entrance in Switzerland

Abstract

Changes in school- and vocational tracks on the secondary II level are largely unexplored in Switzerland. Based on rational choice theory and the diversion thesis and using data from the Swiss TREE-Panel, this article investigates whether aspects of the social background and the reading competency co-vary with aspects of educational paths of young people or not. After that, the predictive value of the selected variables for higher education entrance is tested. The results indicate primary and secondary effects of the social origin for higher education entrance and that track changes within the secondary II school level decrease the likelihood of entering a university.