Pushing Up Ivies: Institutional Prestige and the Academic Caste System

Georgetown Public Policy Review (2013)

10 Pages Posted: 31 Aug 2013 Last revised: 3 Jan 2015

See all articles by Robert Oprisko

Robert Oprisko

Indiana University, Center for the Study of Global Change

Kirstie Dobbs

Loyola University of Chicago

Joseph DiGrazia

Indiana University, Bloomington

Date Written: August 21, 2013

Abstract

This research explores the effects of faculty hiring and Ph.D. alma mater. We show that the Ivy League enjoys a significant benefit in placing candidates because of their inclusion in that prestigious group. By creating a metric that looks at the Institutional Ranking Difference (IRD), we also show that Ph.D. programs do not benefit by hiring academics from premier institutions. Not only do they not enjoy a benefit to rank, they also do not benefit in placing candidates in the job market.

Keywords: higher education, quantitative methods, political science, elitism

Suggested Citation

Oprisko, Robert and Dobbs, Kirstie and DiGrazia, Joseph, Pushing Up Ivies: Institutional Prestige and the Academic Caste System (August 21, 2013). Georgetown Public Policy Review (2013) , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2317992

Robert Oprisko (Contact Author)

Indiana University, Center for the Study of Global Change ( email )

201 North Indiana Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47408
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.indiana.edu/~global/staff/facultyProfile.php?id=76

Kirstie Dobbs

Loyola University of Chicago ( email )

25 East Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
United States

Joseph DiGrazia

Indiana University, Bloomington ( email )

Ballantine Hall 744
1020 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

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