Achievement at the higher education entry examinations in Greece: A Procrustean approach.

The paper examines the way the national higher education entry examinations in Greece are used to determine entry into the 100 percent government-controlled state tertiary education system. The database refers to the population of all secondary education graduates taking (or not taking) the June 2000 national secondary school examination. There is considerable achievement variation across regions and types of school. Poor districts, evening schools, and state schools are associated with lower achievement. Private schools are associated with higher achievement, even controlling for parental schooling and wealth. Regardless of the student's achievement in the national examinations, entry each year is mainly determined by the number of available places. Given the fact the state cannot afford to provide free access to all those who want entry, the non-university cycle has expanded rapidly to accommodate a greater number of students into ``higher education technological institutes'' that are most frequently not the candidates' first choice. Thus, the fable of Procrustes is revived in modern Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]