Social Inequality in Higher Education. Is Vocational Training a Pathway Leading to or Away from University

This paper analyses theoretically the decision to enrol in university under the conditions of certain educational systems. In particular, the impact of an institutional alternative of vocational training (as in Germany) and the possibility of combining vocational and academic training are examined. The comparison of educational systems shows how different types may give rise to social class differences in participation in higher education. [The authors] trace back this comparison to individual decisions after leaving upper secondary education which [the authors] represent by a formal model. Here, [the authors] can refer to theories that were developed to explain social differences in other kinds of educational transitions. Using a model of utility maximization, [the authors] specify the returns to education in the form of expected future income within a certain time. By introducing social differences in the relevant parameters, [the authors'] model offers an explanation of why school-leavers from different social origins have incentives to choose different educational paths. [The authors] also find evidence that the populations in different tracks might differ with respect to average achievement. Finally, [the authors] give a brief discussion on implications for further research.