Учеба в сильной школе - гарантия высоких академических результатов в вузе?

The paper tests the hypotheses on better academic performance of graduates from stronger high schools and the nature of relationship between college students' achievements and their academic standing in high school (whether they performed above or below average) with due regard for school characteristics. Regression analysis is used to measure the effects of USE (Unified State Exam) scores, school type, and academic standing on college performance, while controlling for individual student characteristics and cases receiving the Governor's regional scholarship in addition to the standard student allowance. The sample includes 313 first-year Economics and Management students admitted to the National Research University Higher School of Economics in 2012 and 2013. Cumulative first-year ranking points are used as an indicator of academic performance. As it turns out, graduating from an advanced high school or from a school with a high mean USE score in mathematics provides no guarantee of better educational outcomes for first-year students. High-school academic standing has positive effects on academic achievements in college, the strength of such effects varying depending on school characteristics. Educational outcomes of students who performed above average in low-performing schools can be explained by the high level of intrinsic motivation typical of academically successful students. Therefore, ignoring the information on the academic standing of graduates from low-performing schools may lead to underestimating their academic achievement in college. As for receiving the Governor's scholarship, this proves to be a significant factor in the academic performance of Management students only.