Influence of gender, educational attainment and family environment on the educational aspirations of secondary school students

This paper examines the influence of gender, educational attainment and family-related variables on the academic aspirations of students aged. Using data from the Academic Achievement Assessment in Andalusia (Spain) during 2006/2007 and from a questionnaire answered by 3963 students and 3842 families, we obtained information about students’ test scores, their academic expectations and the social and educational resources of their families. Chi-square tests and a binary logistic regression were carried out to identify the influence of the independent variables on aspirations. Results show that all variables are relevant to the students’ aspirations, but when their combined effects are considered, educational attainment and the educational levels of parents have greater power than gender to predict students’ aspirations.