Finance and Economics Student Performance in the United States and Spain: Contrasts and Similarities
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
We describe factors that are associated with academic performance in introductory finance and economics classes in the US and Spain. We compare and contrast student performance in Spain to published research on similarly-situated students in the United States. Our findings highlight cultural differences and describe the disparate performance of early-morning students in finance and economics classes on either side of the Atlantic. Unlike in the US, the better-performing students in Spain were enrolled in the earliest morning classes; also contrasting with the US, inadequate sleep was not always significantly associated with lower grades in Spain; another contrast is revealed where the Spanish student closer to graduation outperforms his less-experienced peer, but the US student delaying taking the introductory class until closer to graduation does not typically do better, or worse. The number of hours worked per week was negatively associated with academic performance for students in both the US and Spain. The student enrolled in more classes in the US, a possible proxy for the more motivated student, does better – though insignificant results along these lines were observed in Spain. Our findings are important to the student, teacher and administrator as class schedules are developed and special student needs are anticipated, whether in the US, or across the ocean in Spain.
