本研究透過社會大眾對於升學機會的推與期待，對照實際客觀升學機會，探討社會大眾整體的主觀升學需求以及對升學壓力的歸因傾向。研究調查20歲以上之臺灣地區民眾2052位，其中有在學子女者808位，樣本為分層隨機取樣。研究發現，就民眾的教育需求而言，現有的升學機會顯然是供不應求的。民眾傾向高估實際的升學機會而且對升學機會的期待又遠高於現有的升學機會，因而現有的升學機會只能滿足半數家長對子女的教育期待。此外，值得探究的事，受訪者的教育程度在升學期待、需求與歸因中所扮演的角色。分析結果顯示，高學歷者所期待的升學機會低於低學歷者，對子女的教育期待則高於低學歷者，傾向將升學壓力歸因於「升學主義」。

The study investigated the ‘perceived’ as well as ‘desirable’ educational opportunity in Taiwan. Compared to ‘actual’ enrollment rate, researchers were able to infer the educational demand and the attributed causes for competition for school admission. There were 2052 participants and 808 of them having at least one child in school. It was a stratified random sample from Taiwan population. The results demonstrated that desirable education opportunity and perceived educational opportunity were higher than actual enrollment rate. Also, desirable education opportunity was higher than perceived opportunity. Based on parents’ desirable educational attainment for their children, the actual education opportunity can only satisfy half the parents. Perceived educational opportunity, educational demand, and attribution for educational competition differed significantly by educational level. People with higher educational attainment were more likely to attribute competition for school admission to diplomaism rather than need for educational opportunity. The implications were discussed.