Keeping it in the Family: Student to Degree Match

25 Pages Posted: 29 Apr 2024

See all articles by Richard Murphy

Richard Murphy

University of Texas at Austin - Department of Economics; London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); IZA Institute of Labor Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Pedro Luis Silva

University of Porto - CIPES; Universidade do Porto - Faculdade de Economia (FEP)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: 2024

Abstract

This paper examines systematic inequalities in the match between students and the university degree they apply to, and enroll in. Using linked administrative data on the population of Portuguese applicants we create a transparent and continuous measure of student-to-degree match employing minimal assumptions. We find that students who are the first in the family to attend post-secondary education consistently match to lower quality degrees across the entire achievement distribution. In contrast, only the highest achieving female students relatively undermatch. These gaps are larger at the application stage. We explore the role of student preferences and the consequences for intergenerational mobility.

Keywords: higher education, educational economics, college choice, mismatch, undermatch

JEL Classification: I220, I230, I280

Suggested Citation

Murphy, Richard and Silva, Pedro Luis, Keeping it in the Family: Student to Degree Match (2024). CESifo Working Paper No. 11075, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4806984 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4806984

Richard Murphy (Contact Author)

University of Texas at Austin - Department of Economics ( email )

Austin, TX 78712
United States

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

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CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )

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Pedro Luis Silva

University of Porto - CIPES ( email )

Portugal

Universidade do Porto - Faculdade de Economia (FEP) ( email )

Rua Roberto Frias
s/n
Porto, 4200-464
Portugal

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