This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 Exame Nacional de Cursos [National Examination of Study Programs], or ENC , in five cursos . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as a whole. The following variables were selected: gender, socioeconomic status (family income), parents' education, and race/color.
Method. I used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, or SPSS, with an emphasis in the AnswerTree module. Probability-concepts were also used, along with bi-dimensional graphic representation and analysis. Students were designated as belonging to one of two groups: (a) the high score group, or students who obtained a general score above the 75th percentile on the ENC , and (b) the low score group, or students who obtained a general score below the 25th percentile on the ENC.
Results. This study demonstrated that both the AnswerTree test and the Probability calculations point to similar conclusions: (a) Race is not a significant variable to define either low or high scores, with the one exception being for Mulattos in Medicine; (b) gender, family income, and parents' education are significant for both low and high scores for low prestige cursos ; (c) family income and parents' education are significantly associated with middle prestige careers; and (d) none of the independent variables are related to low or high scores for high-prestige careers.
Conclusion. More privileged students tend to get higher scores in low-prestige cursos. Less privileged students tend to get lower scores in low-prestige cursos. Public high-school students tend to choose low-prestige cursos and students from private high-schools tend to choose high-prestige cursos. The selection process excludes those who are not as well prepared for the entrance exam (vestibular) and those from lower socioeconomic levels are not as well prepared.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 <em>Exame Nacional de Cursos</em> [National Examination of Study Programs], or <em>ENC</em> , in five <em>cursos</em> . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as a whole. The following variables were selected: gender, socioeconomic status (family income), parents' education, and race/color.</p> <p><em>Method</em>. I used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, or SPSS, with an emphasis in the <em>AnswerTree</em> module. Probability-concepts were also used, along with bi-dimensional graphic representation and analysis. Students were designated as belonging to one of two groups: (a) the high score group, or students who obtained a general score above the 75th percentile on the <em>ENC</em> , and (b) the low score group, or students who obtained a general score below the 25th percentile on the <em>ENC</em>.</p> <p><em>Results</em>. This study demonstrated that both the <em>AnswerTree</em> test and the Probability calculations point to similar conclusions: (a) Race is not a significant variable to define either low or high scores, with the one exception being for Mulattos in Medicine; (b) gender, family income, and parents' education are significant for both low and high scores for low prestige <em>cursos</em> ; (c) family income and parents' education are significantly associated with middle prestige careers; and (d) none of the independent variables are related to low or high scores for high-prestige careers.</p> <p><em>Conclusion</em>. More privileged students tend to get higher scores in low-prestige <em>cursos</em>. Less privileged students tend to get lower scores in low-prestige <em>cursos</em>. Public high-school students tend to choose low-prestige <em>cursos</em> and students from private high-schools tend to choose high-prestige <em>cursos</em>. The selection process excludes those who are not as well prepared for the entrance exam (<em>vestibular</em>) and those from lower socioeconomic levels are not as well prepared.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Arrais de Matos, Josmar Sionti"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership PhD","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["James A. Tucker","Hinsdale Bernard","Eliseu N. Menegusso"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:52:41Z","subjects":["Education","Education Economics","Higher Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/198","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["James A. Tucker","Hinsdale Bernard","Eliseu N. Menegusso"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Arrais de Matos, Josmar Sionti"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership PhD"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Education","Education Economics","Higher Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/198"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 Exame Nacional de Cursos [National Examination of Study Programs], or ENC , in five cursos . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as a whole. The following variables were selected: gender, socioeconomic status (family income), parents' education, and race/color.
Method. I used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, or SPSS, with an emphasis in the AnswerTree module. Probability-concepts were also used, along with bi-dimensional graphic representation and analysis. Students were designated as belonging to one of two groups: (a) the high score group, or students who obtained a general score above the 75th percentile on the ENC , and (b) the low score group, or students who obtained a general score below the 25th percentile on the ENC.
Results. This study demonstrated that both the AnswerTree test and the Probability calculations point to similar conclusions: (a) Race is not a significant variable to define either low or high scores, with the one exception being for Mulattos in Medicine; (b) gender, family income, and parents' education are significant for both low and high scores for low prestige cursos ; (c) family income and parents' education are significantly associated with middle prestige careers; and (d) none of the independent variables are related to low or high scores for high-prestige careers.
Conclusion. More privileged students tend to get higher scores in low-prestige cursos. Less privileged students tend to get lower scores in low-prestige cursos. Public high-school students tend to choose low-prestige cursos and students from private high-schools tend to choose high-prestige cursos. The selection process excludes those who are not as well prepared for the entrance exam (vestibular) and those from lower socioeconomic levels are not as well prepared.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Socioeconomic Characteristics as Factors of Academic Success on the Exame Nacional de Cursos Among Undergraduate Students of Selected Study Programs in Brazil"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["James A. Tucker","Hinsdale Bernard","Eliseu N. Menegusso"],"dc:creator":["Arrais de Matos, Josmar Sionti"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 Exame Nacional de Cursos [National Examination of Study Programs], or ENC , in five cursos . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as a whole. The following variables were selected: gender, socioeconomic status (family income), parents' education, and race/color.
Method. I used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, or SPSS, with an emphasis in the AnswerTree module. Probability-concepts were also used, along with bi-dimensional graphic representation and analysis. Students were designated as belonging to one of two groups: (a) the high score group, or students who obtained a general score above the 75th percentile on the ENC , and (b) the low score group, or students who obtained a general score below the 25th percentile on the ENC.
Results. This study demonstrated that both the AnswerTree test and the Probability calculations point to similar conclusions: (a) Race is not a significant variable to define either low or high scores, with the one exception being for Mulattos in Medicine; (b) gender, family income, and parents' education are significant for both low and high scores for low prestige cursos ; (c) family income and parents' education are significantly associated with middle prestige careers; and (d) none of the independent variables are related to low or high scores for high-prestige careers.
Conclusion. More privileged students tend to get higher scores in low-prestige cursos. Less privileged students tend to get lower scores in low-prestige cursos. Public high-school students tend to choose low-prestige cursos and students from private high-schools tend to choose high-prestige cursos. The selection process excludes those who are not as well prepared for the entrance exam (vestibular) and those from lower socioeconomic levels are not as well prepared.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/198"],"dc:subject":["Education","Education Economics","Higher Education"],"dc:title":["Socioeconomic Characteristics as Factors of Academic Success on the Exame Nacional de Cursos Among Undergraduate Students of Selected Study Programs in Brazil"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership PhD"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:52:41Z"}