Pathways to College: How School and Family Shape Students’ Learning and Extracurricular Engagement in Taiwan

• In Event: 21020 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2: College Admissions and Stratification

Abstract

How do college admission policies shape educational inequality? While standardized tests are often criticized for favoring students from advantaged backgrounds, holistic admissions and non-academic criteria may not necessarily level the playing field. Taiwan’s recent reform, which introduced Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)—short essays and reports produced in class—as a required component of college applications, provides a unique case to examine these dynamics. Public concerns suggest that CLOs could exacerbate inequality, as students from privileged backgrounds may be better positioned to produce high-quality coursework. However, these claims remain largely untested.
Using a nationally representative survey of 2,825 high school seniors, this study examines the impact of family background, school type and other factors on three key admission components: CLOs, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities. The findings reveal that, unlike test scores and extracurriculars, CLO performance is less influenced by socioeconomic status. Instead, teachers’ instructional practices play a critical role in shaping students’ engagement and success in CLOs, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. These findings suggest that institutional design—especially the extent to which teachers can intervene in students’ application materials—mediates the role of schools as potential "equalizers." These findings contribute to broader debates on educational equity, highlighting how admissions policies mediate the influence of family and school on students’ opportunities.

Author

• Kuo-ming Lin, National Taiwan University