Choices and Enrollments in French Secondary and Higher Education: Repercussions for Second-Generation Immigrants

In France, the proportion of second-generation immigrants enrolling in tertiary education has increased as education has undergone a process of “democratization.” This article analyzes their postsecondary choices, access to tertiary programs, dropout, and transition to the labor market, compared to those of students of French origin. Youths of Portuguese origin are more likely to enter vocational higher programs concordant with their preferences and have better chances of completing a tertiary degree and finding a job. Despite their preference for selective vocational higher programs, some students of North African origin are diverted toward academic university courses, leading to higher dropout rates. This unequal access to higher education affects both degree completion and entry into the French labor market.