ERIC Number: EJ756859
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Apr
Pages: 12
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0272-7757
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The Influence of the US News and World Report Collegiate Rankings on the Matriculation Decision of High-Ability Students: 1995-2004
Griffith, Amanda; Rask, Kevin
Economics of Education Review, v26 n2 p244-255 Apr 2007
The annual US News and World Report (USNWR) Guide to America's Best Colleges is much anticipated by both high-ability high school seniors and college and university administrators. In this paper, we use a decade of Colgate University "Admitted Student Questionnaire" surveys to estimate the influence of changes in a school's USNWR rank on the probability of matriculation. We find that school choice is responsive to changes in rank, that the sensitivity to rank declines at lower ranks, and this sensitivity is independent of other objective measures of quality. The importance of the rankings can also be different for women, minorities, and the highest ability aided students. They have also gotten more important over time for aided students. Our results suggest that it is rational for college administrators to pay attention to their USNWR rank because it is an important factor in yielding accepted students.
Descriptors: Probability, College Choice, College Admission, High School Seniors, Student Attitudes, Questionnaires, Reputation, Decision Making, High Achievement, Influences, Differences, Student Financial Aid, Higher Education, College Applicants
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; High Schools; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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