College Expansion and Curriculum Choice

Xuejuan Su and Michael Kaganovich ()
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Ioana Cosmina Schiopu

No 2012-25, Working Papers from University of Alberta, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper analyzes the impact of college enrollment expansion on student academic achievements and labor market outcomes. When public policies promote “access” to college education, colleges adjust their curricula: Non-elite public colleges adopt a less demanding curriculum to accommodate the influx of low-ability students, benefiting them at the expense of middle-ability students. In response to the reduced competitive pressure for middle-ability students, private colleges adopt a more demanding curriculum to better serve their high-ability students, again at the expense of middle-ability students. The model offers an explanation to the observed U-shaped earnings growth profile among college-educated workers in the U.S.

Keywords: curriculum; postsecondary education; enrollment expansion; income distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H44 I21 I23 I24 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2012-10-01, Revised 2015-04-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Related works:
Working Paper: College Expansion and Curriculum Choice (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:albaec:2012_025

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