Regional Dimensions of Entrance Examinations to Higher Education Institutions in Greece

Higher education entrance examinations in Greece have always attracted the attention of social researchers because of the impact they have had on Greek society. All analysis, however, tends to consider the candidates' choice and success, per option, as identical and uniform in all Greek regions. This impression is not confirmed by statistical data. Each region seems to adopt a particular way of behaving and to have a variable degree of success. This differentiation could mean that each region reacts differently to contemporary Greek reality. If this is true, what happens occurs without the knowledge of the Greek authorities and even against those authorities' official analysis and planning. Consequently, a problem seems to exist regarding the coordination of official educational policy with the informal differentiation prevailing in each Greek region. This problem may prove to be of particular importance in the future in view of the EU's emphasis upon the development of regional policy.