PRIVATE VS. PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION AS A PREDICTOR FOR SUCCESS FOR FEMALE STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN SAUDI ARABIA
Keywords:
School Types, Private, Public, Saudi Arabia, Preparatory Program, Female StudentsAbstract
This article analyzes the academic performance of the first graduating class (178 females) from a private university in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, which arecategorized according to school type (private or public school education). The study specifically compares the academic achievements of the students at admission and later at graduation in correlation with school description. The analysis of the admission distribution revealed that 63% of the direct undergraduate admission students graduated from private secondary schools, and they substantially outperformed the public school graduates in the preparatory level only. While the analysis of the CGPA at graduation, 4-5 years later, showed that once the English language skills were learned, the public school students quickly bridged the gap and even surpassed their private school peers. The final outcomes provide a new path for research in the area of school type vs. prolonged academic achievement and suggest that public education can prepare students for academic success.
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