The determinants of success and failure of italian university students. evidence from administrative data

We use unique administrative data from a large private Italian university to estimate whether individual characteristics, academic performance, geographical mobility and family size may affect completion of a degree course or not. Several outcomes are taken into account, namely the probability of withdrawal for voluntary or involuntary reasons, of graduating within the minimum period, and graduating with top marks. Our estimates highlight that all the above aspects drive the outcomes analysed. Poor high school performance in particular increases the chances of non-completion and graduation after the legal length of the course. In contrast, higher final high school marks, a more academic-oriented diploma, living in a small family and being commuters result in a higher probability of gaining a degree with top marks and within the minimum period.