Longitudinal Trends in Pre University Preparation. A Cohort Evaluation Using Introductory Mathematics and Physics Courses (1980-2019)

TL;DR

This study longitudinally analyzes how pre-university preparation affects student success in introductory university courses over four decades in Argentina, revealing persistent patterns of decline in approval and increased non-attempts.

Contribution

It provides rare long-term longitudinal evidence on pre-university preparation effects in an Ibero-American context using comprehensive administrative data.

Findings

Gradual decline in approval rates over time

Increase in non-attempt behaviors among students

Persistent public-private success gaps

Abstract

The transition from secondary to higher education represents a critical point in academic trajectories, particularly in programmes with a strong emphasis on basic sciences. Across different higher education systems, introductory Mathematics and Physics courses consistently concentrate high rates of early failure and attrition, yet most available evidence relies on cross-sectional analyses or limited time spans. This study presents a longitudinal evaluation of pre-university preparation based on early academic outcomes in Mathematics and Physics, conceptualised as "sensor" courses of initial academic demands. Using complete administrative records from a large public university in Argentina, the analysis covers entry cohorts from 1980 to 2019 with census-level coverage and a population-based approach. Pre-university preparation is operationally defined as cohort-level compatibility between students' prior educational background and the functional demands of introductory university coursework, observed through first-attempt outcomes. For each cohort and by type of secondary school (public or private), we estimate the probability of course approval, the probability of non-attempt (enrolment without evaluative participation), and the public-private success gap. The results reveal consistent long-term patterns: a gradual decline in early approval probabilities, a sustained increase in non-attempt behaviour, and the persistence of moderate but stable public-private gaps. These findings point to structural changes in the articulation between secondary education and higher education rather than short-term fluctuations or individual-level effects. The study contributes to the international literature on educational evaluation by providing rare long-horizon longitudinal evidence from an Ibero-American context.