Beyond Family Influence: Do Students' Cultural Activities Affect Educational Attainment?

Abstract In this study, we examine whether students’ cultural activities affect educational attainment and, thus, allow for social mobility. We hold constant the individuals’ family background as well as gender and immigrant background using entropy balancing. Utilizing data from the German National Educational Panel Study in linear probability models, we report three main findings. First, student highbrow activities and arts education courses outside school increase the probability of attaining an upper secondary degree, while the effects are nonsignificant for attending a school with an arts profile as well as participation in culture clubs and cultural activities at youth centers. Second, decision-making variables (track attendance, aspirations) mediate a larger share of these effects than achievement. Third, neither students from privileged nor from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit more from these activities. We conclude that the cultural activities most closely tied to social privilege also offer the greatest potential for social mobility.