Socioeconomic conditions and academic performance in higher education in Colombia during the pandemic

Abstract

This article studies the relationship between the socioeconomic conditions of higher education students in Colombia and their academic performance during the pandemic. The household’s socioeconomic conditions are approximated by the education level of the parents, their occupation and the possession of assets. A multiple regression model tests the effect of these variables on academic performance before and during the pandemic. Results suggest that before the pandemic, the mother’s graduate education and household technology assets showed a positive impact on test score. Mixed effects of parents’ occupations by gender were also found. During the pandemic, the effect of the mother’s education remained the same, and the effect of technological assets, in-person education and high-quality accredited establishment increased.