Elite Universities and the Intergenerational Transmission of Human and Social Capital

Andres Barrios-Fernandez (andres.bafer@alumni.lse.ac.uk), Christopher A. Neilson (cneilson@princeton.edu) and Seth Zimmerman
Additional contact information
Andres Barrios-Fernandez: Universidad de los Andes
Christopher A. Neilson: Princeton University

No 17252, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Do elite colleges help talented students join the social elite, or help incumbent elites retain their positions? We combine intergenerationally-linked data from Chile with a regression discontinuity design to show that, looking across generations, elite colleges do both. Lower-status individuals who gain admission to elite college programs transform their children's social environment. Children become more likely to attend high-status private schools and colleges, and to live near and befriend high-status peers. In contrast, academic achievement is unaffected. Simulations combining descriptive and quasi-experimental findings show that elite colleges tighten the link between social and human capital while decreasing intergenerational social mobility.

Keywords: elite universities; intergenerational mobility; human capital; social capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D64 I24 J62 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 133 pages
Date: 2024-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-lam, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Elite universities and the intergenerational transmission of human and social capital (2024)
Working Paper: Elite Universities and the Intergenerational Transmission of Human and Social Capital (2024)
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