University Admission: Is Achievement a Sufficient Criterion?

Alessandro Tampieri

The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 2024, vol. 24, issue 3, 799-833

Abstract: We analyse university admissions using a statistical discrimination model where students differ by ability and social group. In this university system, candidates are evaluated on the basis of their expected human capital, which includes both their innate abilities and the knowledge acquired during their schooling. Consequently, students determine their study effort based on the behaviour of universities. Interestingly, we find that students from a less advantaged group need a lower grade to gain admission to the best universities. If a university cannot discriminate between social groups, all students with the same grade will attend universities of the same quality, but with different levels of human capital.

Keywords: discrimination; affirmative action; study effort (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 I23 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: University Admission:Is Achievement a Sufficient Criterion? (2019)
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DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2023-0260

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