Access to post-secondary education: how Ontario compares

This research uses the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS) to compare participation in postsecondary education (PSE) in Ontario to such participation in other Canadian regions. [The authors] begin by presenting access rates by region, which reveals some substantial differences. University participation rates in Ontario are in about the middle of the pack, while college rates are relatively high. [The authors] then undertake an econometric analysis, which reveals that the effects of parental income are quite strong in the Atlantic provinces but much weaker elsewhere, including within Ontario. [The authors] also find that the relationship between high school grades and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test scores (measures of academic 'performance' and 'ability') differ by region and are generally strongest in Ontario. From this perspective, Ontario would appear to have a relatively 'meritocratic' system, where those who are more qualified are more likely to go to university and where overall attendance rates are less affected by family income. Interestingly, the effects of parental education, which are generally much stronger than family income, are similar across provinces. Understanding the reasons underlying these patterns might warrant further investigation.

Excerpt from published abstract. Show less