The Effect of Resilience and Gender on the Persistence of Higher Education Students

Abstract

Based on several studies, after exiting higher education there are serious gender differences in the labor market, and disadvantages of people with worse social background also exist. Research question of this study is whether such inequalities in students’ persistence also exist, or not. Based on a survey (n = 2199) conducted in a region of Central and Eastern Europe, we use cluster analysis to characterize resilient students (with unfavorable social backgrounds and good performances), and carry out stepwise linear regression to reveal the effects on students’ persistence. We found that persistence is not the highest among resilient students, as presumed. They still cannot break through the glass ceiling set by students from better social backgrounds in relation to persistence. In accordance with the previous research results, however, females’ higher persistence can still be shown, despite their less favorable social background.