Determinants of Academic Achievement in Japanese University Students

Proceedings of The 4th World Conference on Teaching and Education

Year: 2022

DOI:

[PDF]

Determinants of Academic Achievement in Japanese University Students

Mamiko Takeuchi

ABSTRACT: 

This study analyses the determinants of academic achievement among Japanese university students. Based on a survey conducted by a Japanese educational think tank, this study confirms that female students record significantly higher academic achievement levels compared to their male counterparts, which is in line with the findings of most previous studies. This result is partly explained by the gender differences in students’ study skills at the university level. Further, the analysis reveals that the study skills attained by students at high school are maintained and affect their academic achievement at the university level. Although enrolment in one’s preferred university increases a student’s academic achievement, selecting a university based on the recommendations of others or according to the type of entrance examination lowers achievement. Further, receiving comparatively large monetary allowances from parents or earning significant amounts of money from part-time employment can potentially lower students’ academic achievement. Subgroup estimations—such as those for national universities, private universities, and different faculties—confirm the robustness of the current study’s results. According to the quantile regression model, although the effects of gender on academic achievement decrease with increasing quantiles, they remain significant at all quantiles.

keywords: academic achievement, study skill, Japanese student, quantile regression model.