Uncovering the interplay of territorial, socioeconomic, and demographic factors in high school to university transition

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of territorial location and socioeconomic factors on student mobility and educational inequalities in the transition from high school to university in Sicily, a region characterized by low tertiary enrollment rates and high early school leaving rates. The study uses a propensity score analysis, based on generalized boosted models (GBM), to isolate the territory effect on university enrollment choices while controlling for student sociodemographic characteristics and high school outcomes. The results of the study provide insights into the complex interplay between territory, socioeconomic factors, and student mobility in determining educational inequalities.