保研制度筛选了怎样的学生——基于一所研究型大学的实证案例研究

What Kind of Students Have You Screened for:An Empirical Case Study Based on a Research University

研究型大学采用'保研'——基于本科生大学学业表现免初试而直接推荐研究生资格——这一措施吸引优秀本科生。在努力建设世界一流大学和一流学科的背景下,本研究使用部委直属X大学的学生学业记录和跟踪调研数据,基于风险规避理论的启示,实证评估保研制度培养和选拔优秀本科生的效果。分析表明:第一,保研这一措施成功地吸引了研究型大学学生,大一时不同毕业打算或教育期望的学生,本科毕业时的首要去向基本都是本校保研,接近40%学生的毕业去向为本校保研;第二,重要的是,虽然本校保研学生大学排名最优,大学期间的学业投入、毕业之际解决问题和批判性思维的能力却显著弱于出国深造和他校深造的学生;并且这些差异与学生的城乡户籍和家庭背景基本无关;第三,本校保研学生中,仅15%学生出于学术研究兴趣而深造,首要原因是增强就业竞争力,其次是了解自己;改变初衷而本校保研的学生更是如此。本研究结果表明目前保研制度过早吸纳了本科学生读研,选拔标准似乎筛选甚至培育了相对保守和求稳的学生,不利于创新人才的培养和选拔。

The'Graduate Study Recommendation'Programs recommend undergraduates for a graduate study based on their college academic performance.Against the backdrop of'double-first'endeavor,enlightened by the Risk-Aversion theory in careerselection,we use a longitudinal survey data and administrative records of 2014 freshman cohort from a research university to empirically assess howthe Recommendation Programs attracts high-performing students.Empirical results show that,firstly,the Programs successfully attracted students regardless of their initial intentions.Students’top choice was to continue a graduate study by the Recommendation Program,nearly 40%actually did so.Secondly and more importantly,although the recommended students ranked the best in college,they were less involved academically during college,and their problem-solving abilities and critical thinking abilities were significantly lower than those students pursing a graduate study abroad.And the differences were unrelated to their family socioeconomic status,such as registration status and parental education.Thirdly,among the recommended students,only 15%pursued a graduate study because of academic research interests,most students did so to be more competitive in the labor market or to know more about themselves;and it is even more so among those students who changed their initial graduation intentions.The Programs have drawn students to a graduate study too earlier,attract more conservative and risk-averse students,and even foster students to be so,therefore not effective in selecting students with innovative capacities.