This article aims to describe the access profile of students from different undergraduate courses at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and their perception about their educational experience prior to entering the university. The academic performance as an indicator of quality of access to higher education is also discussed. This study is exploratory, descriptive and quantitative. Data were collected by questionnaire and submitted to statistical treatment, using SPSS (version 12.0). Sample results indicate a regular domain of competencies and skills acquired that facilitate the development of new learning in higher education. It is concluded that an introduction of interventions on the orientation for the access to higher education, aiming at the quality of the educational process, is imminent.
access to higher education; academic performance; pedagogical intervention