Students who, at the start of their studies as part of the long-term National Education Panel study, had indicated that they were studying their preferred major were more likely to successfully complete their degree. Five years after starting their studies, 33% of students majoring in their preferred subject had successfully completed their degree, compared to 30% of those who had not chosen their preferred subject. At the same time, the dropout rate for students majoring in their preferred subject—at 24%—was significantly lower than that of the remaining students (37%).
The findings in NEPS Spotlight No. 31 on college major selection and academic success are taken from the following publication:
Berlingieri, F., Diegmann, A., & Sprietsma, M. (2023). Preferred field of study and academic performance. Economics of Education Review, 95(2), Article 102409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2023.102409
NEPS Spotlight No. 31
Subscribe to all updates on NEPS Spotlight: kommunikation@lifbi.de
What are the NEPS spotlights?
This and other NEPS spotlights present selected findings from the National Education Panel Study—the largest long-term education study in Germany—in a concise and accessible format. They shed light on topics such as the development of competencies over the life course, as well as aspects of personality, educational participation, integration, and civic engagement. Each highlight features a key message, a brief explanation, and interactive graphics that visualize the respective findings. Sources and further information are also linked. The NEPS Highlights are provided by the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) and are coordinated with the authors of the original publications. The collection is continuously expanded.
What is the National Education Panel?
The National Education Panel (NEPS) is the largest long-term education study in Germany. It examines educational processes, their conditions, outcomes, and consequences from early childhood through late adulthood. More than 70,000 participants, as well as approximately 50,000 people from their social circles, are surveyed on a recurring basis. The data collected is made available to the scientific community. More than 4,000 researchers worldwide are already working with NEPS data, and to date, more than 1,900 scientific publications have been produced.