Preferenze verso corsi universitari e scelte di “ripiego”: conseguenze sul rendimento accademico

- Preferences for university courses and second-best choices: effects on academic performance - The article deals with the academic choices and the factors determining risks for possible negative outcomes such as unsuccessful career, delays and early drop-out.After a review of the variables pertaining to the access to academic courses, with particular reference to the Italian system, an empirical analysis will be presented, regarding the consequences of makeshift of the choices on the academic performance, differentiating courses specific for contents and methods.The database of the students matriculated in the same academic year in the degree courses of the University of Catania was collected and analysed. A total number of 6341 students enrolled in the first year was considered, with reference to the order of choice of courses, the credits acquired in the three sessions of the first year, the number of exams passed and the marks obtained.Results show that the overall level of “congruence” (students enrolled in a course which was the first choice for him/her) is high, near 80%. The students “inactive” (i.e., no credits acquired in the first year of frequency) sum up to 24%, that is near 1/4 of the total.When the course has been chosen as a second best academic performance is worse, but some students presumably compensate their initial lower interest with a re-motivation fostered by appropriate teaching strategies and/or effective tutoring.