Elite private institutions, renowned for their exceptional academic offerings and rigorous selection processes, attract top-tier students and faculty; however exclusive private schooling has perpetuated social and economic disparities by granting unequal advantages to select groups, deepening educational gaps in society. This dissertation…

Despite college rankings' popular yet controversial nature, there is little known about the relationship between college rankings and students. Prior literature suggests that students who make use of rankings are more privileged, yet there lacks a comprehensive analysis surrounding the types of students who place importance on rankings in more…

In this dissertation, I examine the role elite high schools play in the perpetuation of privilege in America and how, if at all, that role has changed over time. I explore the characteristics of students who attend elite high schools and the relationships between attending those schools and entering elite colleges, earning a top 10% income,…