From Mocks to Realities? A Case Study on the Social Impact of Mock Exams in University

Abstract

This case study analyses the impact of intermediate mock exams in a first-year statistics course on the social inequalities observed in tertiary education. Through descriptive analysis and regression models of a sample of 478 students, we examine how these exams influence subsequent educational decisions. Our hypothesis states that students without a university-educated parent are more likely to attribute failure to innate ability, impacting their participation in subsequent exams. Findings reveal a decline in participation rates over the semester, with disparities between students with and without university-educated parents, the latter demonstrating higher participation and pass rates. Students without a university-educated parent are more influenced by negative results in subsequent participation decisions compared to their peers with a university-educated parent.