Unpacking the Gap: Socioeconomic Background and the Stratification of College Applications in the United States

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  • Author(s): Wesley Jeffrey (ORCID Wesley Jeffrey (ORCID 0000-0003-0961-4538); Benjamin G. Gibbs
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Research in Higher Education. 2024 65(4):705-731.
  • Publication Date:
    2024
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Information Analyses
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      27
    • Education Level:
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
      High Schools
      Secondary Education
      Grade 9
      Junior High Schools
      Middle Schools
    • Subject Terms:
      College Applicants; Socioeconomic Status; Socioeconomic Influences; College Choice; Decision Making; Selection Criteria; Data Analysis; High School Students; Student Attitudes; Grade 9; Advantaged; Student Behavior
    • Accession Number:
      10.1007/s11162-024-09780-z
    • ISSN:
      0361-0365
      1573-188X
    • Abstract:
      While a substantial body of work has shown that higher-SES students tend to apply to more selective colleges than their lower-SES counterparts, we know relatively less about "why" students differ in their application behavior. In this study, we draw upon a sociological approach to educational stratification to unpack the SES-based gap in college application selectivity. Using data from the "High School Longitudinal Study of 2009," we examine the contribution of theoretical factors to the class-based gap in the selectivity of college applications. Namely, from the rational action model we estimate the contribution of "performance differentials" and "choice differentials," while from the status attainment model we look at the level and type of "educational expectations" as well as the "number of applications" submitted. Through a series of Heckman selection models, as well as a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis, we can explain 85% of the gap in college application selectivity between students in the top and bottom SES quintiles. In turn, we estimate that 60% of this explained portion is due to rational action mechanisms such as grades and test scores while 35% is due to status attainment mechanisms. Finally, we reveal that SES moderates the relationship between type of expectations and application selectivity. We find that the payoff to higher expectations (in terms of selective applications) disproportionately accrues to higher-SES students.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2024
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1429396