Conceptual and Methodological Problems in Research on College Undermatch

被引:35
作者
Bastedo, Michael N. [1 ,2 ]
Flaster, Allyson [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
[2] Univ Michigan, Ctr Study Higher & Postsecondary Educ, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
关键词
admissions; higher education; research methodology; social class; social stratification; HIGHER-EDUCATION; EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; HIGH-SCHOOL; ACCESS; STRATIFICATION; OPPORTUNITIES; INEQUALITY; RANKINGS; MOBILITY; STUDENTS;
D O I
10.3102/0013189X14523039
中图分类号
G40 [教育学];
学科分类号
040101 ; 120403 ;
摘要
Access to the nation's most selective colleges remains starkly unequal, with students in the lowest income quartile constituting less than 4% of enrollment. A popular explanation for this phenomenon is that low-income students undermatch by attending less selective colleges when their credentials predict admission to more highly selective colleges. We identify three problematic assumptions in research on undermatching: (a) that researchers can differentiate colleges at the margin that matters for student outcomes; (b) that researchers can accurately predict who will be admitted at colleges that use holistic admission processes; and (c) that using achievement measures like SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) scores to match students to colleges will reduce postsecondary inequality. We discuss the implications of these assumptions for future research on college choice and stratification.
引用
收藏
页码:93 / 99
页数:7
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