Beyond the Test Score: A Mixed Methods Analysis of a College Access Intervention in Chile

Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses, we examine the role of a college access intervention in the enrollment and persistence outcomes of low-income students in Chile modeled partially after a Texas admissions program. We find that, although students from the program have a mean cumulative GPA significantly lower than that of their peers who entered college through the regular admissions system, most program students nevertheless meet the institution's academic requirements. Qualitative evidence collected through student interviews presents some of the personal challenges and struggles that these students face when making the transition from high school to university while also highlighting the role of the program in student decisions to persist in college through the end of the first year.