Examining the Association Between Private Tutoring and University Admission Among Indonesian Grade 12 Students

Andi Sri Rahayu; Sri Rahayu; Masyita Sawal; Suardi S

Authors

Andi Sri Rahayu Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Sri Rahayu Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Masyita Sawal Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author
Suardi S Master of Mathematics Education, Graduate Program, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar Author

Keywords:

Private tutoring, Shadow education, University admission, Academic achievement, Educational transitions

Abstract

Private tutoring is widely viewed as a way to strengthen students’ prospects in competitive university admission, yet evidence of its relationship with actual admission outcomes remains mixed. This study examined whether tutoring participation was statistically associated with public university (PTN) admission among Grade 12 students and assessed the magnitude of that association. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, the study analyzed data from 80 Grade 12 students attending two Indonesian senior high schools. Tutoring participation and PTN admission status were examined through cross-tabulation, Pearson’s chi-square test of independence, and Cramer’s V using JASP. The analysis revealed a statistically significant association between tutoring participation and PTN admission, χ²(1, N = 80) = 5.665, p = .017, with Cramer’s V = .266, indicating a modest association. The admission rate was, descriptively, higher among students who did not participate in tutoring (62.5%) than among those who did (35.4%). This pattern does not show that tutoring lowers students’ admission prospects, because participation was not randomly assigned and the analysis did not account for prior achievement, school context, socioeconomic background, or features of the tutoring received. By focusing on actual PTN admission rather than academic scores alone, the study adds context-specific evidence and underscores the importance of interpreting tutoring participation in relation to the wider student, school, and educational context.

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