Divergent: The Time Path of Legacy and Athlete Admissions at Harvard

Peter Arcidiacono, Josh Kinsler and Tyler Ransom

Journal of Human Resources, 2024, vol. 59, issue 3, 653-683

Abstract: We examine how increased admissions competition at elite U.S. colleges has affected the admissions advantage that legacies and athletes (LA) receive. Using 18 years of Harvard admissions data, we show that nonlegacy, nonathlete (NLNA) applications expanded, while LA applications remained flat. Yet, the share of LA admits remained stable, implying substantial increases in LA admissions advantages. These facts imply a strong degree of complementarity in the number of LA admits and overall admit quality. If the admissions advantages for LA applicants had been constant throughout this period, there would have been a large increase in the number of minority admits.

JEL-codes: I23 I24 J15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0421-11641R1
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Related works:
Working Paper: Divergent: The Time Path of Legacy and Athlete Admissions at Harvard (2019)
Working Paper: Divergent: The Time Path of Legacy and Athlete Admissions at Harvard (2019)
Working Paper: Divergent: The Time Path of Legacy and Athlete Admissions at Harvard (2019)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:59:y:2024:i:3:p:653-683

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