Nearly three-quarters of people in the North believe its current system of education should be changed, according to Ark, the joint Queen's University Belfast/University of Ulster project into social and political issues.
Currently, children in the North sit the 11-plus in their last year of primary school, which largely decides whether they go to a grammar or a secondary school.
Ark yesterday said 73 per cent of people questioned in the survey said all children should stay at the same school until the age of 14, before moving to either grammar or secondary schools.
The survey, conducted two years ago, shows 75 per cent of people believed the 11-plus put too much pressure on children, and 69 per cent believed pupils were too young to take the tests at that age.
However, 84 per cent accepted that selection had to happen at some time, and 69 per cent said children who do not get places at grammar schools still got a first-class education.
Prof Tony Gallagher, of Queen's University Belfast, said: "Most respondents favour the end of the 11-plus tests and many feel pupils should attend the same school until age 14 or even 16.
"However, while there was general agreement that some change should occur, there is limited consensus on the exact nature of that change."