A longitudinal study of entry preconditions and study conditions on the academic success of bachelor students of economics

First-year students’ entry preconditions, such as prior knowledge, are considered crucial factors for academic success. First-year students of economics are distinguished
by a high level of heterogeneity at the beginning of their studies. In a longitudinal study, we investigated the extent to which heterogeneous entry preconditions at the beginning of studies can explain academic success and how this relationship changes with regard to the effects of study conditions (e. g., courses attended). Multilevel models are used to analyze the influence of pre-university and study-related factors on students’ grades at the end of a bachelor’s degree program. The implications for university practices and further research are then critically discussed.