The quota policy in the perspective of academic performance at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia

The discussion on ways of entry to higher education in Brazil is surrounded by controversy regarding its selectivity and social exclusion. With the publication of the Law 12.711/2012, the percentage of vacancies for students with social and racial disadvantage was regulated in order to democratize the access to higher education in Brazil. The main objective of this study is to verify whether there are significant differences in the performance of students entering universities through minority-oriented programs, compared to other forms of access. The methodological procedures included a descriptive study, using a quantitative analysis of the academic coefficients of incoming students related to the modality of quota and, also, to the area of knowledge. The sample consisted of 2,418 freshman students of 78 undergraduate courses offered by the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) in the first semester of 2013. The results showed that there are no statistical differences in the academic coefficients among the modalities of quota 1, 2, 3 and 4 (established by Law 12.711/2012) and the extensive competition

higher education; academic performance; Law 12.711/2012