Estimates a college-attendance equation for a common set of students (from the High School and Beyond Survey) using three popular econometric specifications: the multinomial logit, the ordered probit, and the bivariate probit. Estimated marginal effects do not differ significantly across the three specifications. Choice of specification may not…

In 1984 "Economics of Education Review" paper, E. Bell indicates that, when capital markets are imperfect in a certain sense, demand for education may not always be directly related with present net value of education. This study shows Bell's paradox is possible under the alternative definitions of capital market imperfections and…

Explores whether flexible nonlinear models (including neural networks and genetic algorithms) can reveal otherwise unexpected patterns of relationship in typical school-productivity data. Applying three types of algorithms alongside regression modeling to school-level data in 183 elementary schools proves the hypothesis and reveals new directions…

Applies neural network methods for forecasting 1991-95 per-pupil expenditures in U.S. public elementary and secondary schools. Forecasting models included the National Center for Education Statistics' multivariate regression model and three neural architectures. Regarding prediction accuracy, neural network results were comparable or superior to…

Focuses on a specific federal credit program (the guaranteed student loan program), using the Engle and Granger two-step procedure to estimate an error correction model of commercial student loan supply. Results indicate that the secondary market is an important determinant of commercial student loan lending and that commercial supply is inelastic…

Describes how to employ multivariate regression models and National Research Council data (used to rank doctoral programs) to analyze how measures of program size, faculty seniority, and faculty research and doctoral-degree productivity influence subjective ratings of doctoral programs in 35 academic fields. Illustrates how to compute the effects…

Combines costs of fund raising and college-relations data for each of 3 years from 17 colleges and universities with the schools' institutional characteristics to predict ratios of alumni donors to each school's total alumni. With factor analysis, classifies expenditure and institutional variables according to fund-raising effort, donor wealth,…

Examines the relative contributions of human and physical resources in the production of private undergraduate higher education. The parameters in the output equation suggest a traditional recipe: a relatively high ratio of quality faculty to good students in a facilitating environment reflected by academic expenditure. Better students are drawn…

Develops an empirical model for heterogeneous human capital investment decisions, using survey data from a cohort of Dutch workers. Applies the model to investment in three forms of enterprise-related training: technical, economic-administrative, and other. Results show that technical training yields the lowest wage gain, while other…