Entering degree study for the first time as an adult

This section looks at students aged 25 to 39 who are entering degree-level study for the first time.

The number of Māori first-time, first-year degree students in this age group has continued to decrease in 2006, with the number of first-year enrolments decreasing to 710 in 2006, down from 1,259 in 2001. The participation rate for Māori aged 25 to 39 in degrees decreased from 3.9 percent in 2001 to 3.6 percent in 2006, with the participation rate for all students in this age group reducing from 4.1 to 3.6 percent over the same period.

From 2001 to 2005, the proportion entering from lower-level studies increased from 29 to 50 percent. This proportion dropped to 42 percent in 2006, with a higher proportion entering from work. As reported previously, the largest decrease has been at universities. There was also a small decrease from 2005 to 2006 in the number at wānanga.

Figure  5.1: Māori first-time, first-year students aged 25 to 39 by gender

First-year pass rates

As noted in the original study, Māori students in this age group were less likely than non-Māori to pass all of their first-year courses.

The revised model confirms that the subject of enrolment had the greatest influence on pass rates, in contrast to Māori students entering from school, where school achievement was the biggest factor. However, differences in subjects between sub-sectors were not significant. Students in this age group did noticeably less well in sciences and better in education and visual arts and crafts.

As in the original study, highest school qualification was also a strong factor, especially for extramural students. Those with qualifications below NCEA Level 3 did less well, an effect that was stronger for extramural than intramural students.

Figure 5.2: Predicted probability of passing 75 percent or more of first-year degree courses by highest school qualification and extramural status XE "School qualification"

Note: Lighter shade indicates the reference group used for calculating the predicted probabilities. See technical paper for more details.

The revised model also showed that, once other factors were controlled for:

• students who were unemployed or in lower-level tertiary study prior to degree study did less well than those who were employed
• students at institutes of technology and polytechnics did better than those at universities and private training establishments, but students studying degrees at wānanga were the least likely to pass most of their first-year courses
• full-time, full-year students did better than other students. Where students were part-time, they did better if they had lighter study loads
• the chances of passing most courses increased with age, when other factors were controlled for
• students who had attended a low decile school were slightly less likely to pass most of their courses.

Return to study

Māori students in this age group were less likely to return to study after one year than non-Māori students. The first-year retention rate for Māori students aged 25 to 39 in 2005 was 56 percent, compared with 62 percent for all students. The retention rate for Māori men was 51 percent and for Māori women it was 58 percent.

The revised model confirmed that the first-year pass rate had by far the largest influence on return to study, with those passing 75 percent or more of their courses being more likely to return to study.

The revised model also showed that:

• students taking more courses in their first year were more likely to return to study
• there were some differences across subjects, with students in management and commerce, sciences, nursing, and architecture, building and engineering being more likely to return
• sub-sector together with extramural status made a difference. Extramural students at institutes of technology and polytechnics were more likely to return to study than their intramural colleagues. Students at wānanga were less likely to return overall, with extramural students at wānanga being much less likely to return
• students with a disability were somewhat more likely to return to study.

Completion

Māori students aged 25 to 39 were less likely to complete a degree than non-Māori. Of students in this age group who started study in 2002, 28 percent of Māori had completed by 2006, compared with 33 percent of all students. Māori women were more likely to complete than Māori men.

In the first study, the only significant factor explaining completion was whether or not students passed at least 75 percent of all their degree courses. This was confirmed in the revised model. With the benefit of an extra year of data, it was also found that:

• students at wānanga were less likely to complete
• students who studied full-time, full-year over the period of their degree studies were more likely to complete
• students who studied nursing were more likely to complete.