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The transition to tertiary education and parental background over time

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  • Regina Riphahn
  • Florian Schieferdecker

Abstract

Using SOEP data (1984-2006) we analyze the role of parental background for transitions to tertiary education in Germany and answer three questions: (a) does the relevance of parental background shift from short-term (contemporary income) to long factors (ability, parental education) at higher levels of education? (b) Did the impact of parental background on participation in tertiary education change over time? (c) Are there different patterns by sex and region? We consider panel estimators with and without selectivity corrections and numerous robustness tests. Parental income significantly affects transitions to tertiary education. Its impact seems to have lost magnitude over time. We find no clear differences by sex, and larger parental income effects in West than in East Germany.
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  • Regina Riphahn & Florian Schieferdecker, 2012. "The transition to tertiary education and parental background over time," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(2), pages 635-675, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:25:y:2012:i:2:p:635-675
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-010-0347-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Checchi, Daniele & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Leonardi, Marco, 2014. "Parents' risk aversion and children's educational attainment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 164-175.
    2. Maria Paola & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2014. "The effectiveness of remedial courses in Italy: a fuzzy regression discontinuity design," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 27(2), pages 365-386, April.
    3. Benedikt Siegler, 2012. "The Effect of University Openings on Local Human Capital Formation: Difference-in-Differences Evidence from Germany," Working Papers 124, Bavarian Graduate Program in Economics (BGPE).
    4. Jens Mohrenweiser & Friedhelm Pfeiffer, 2016. "Zur Entwicklung der studienspezifischen Selbstwirksamkeit in der Oberstufe [The development of study-specific self-efficacy during grammar school]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(1), pages 77-95, July.
    5. Heineck Guido & Riphahn Regina T., 2009. "Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment in Germany – The Last Five Decades," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(1), pages 36-60, February.
    6. Biewen, Martin & Tapalaga, Madalina, 2016. "Life-Cycle Educational Choices: Evidence for Two German Cohorts," IZA Discussion Papers 9699, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Mosthaf, Alexander, 2011. "Low-wage jobs - stepping stones or just bad signals?," IAB-Discussion Paper 201111, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    8. Alexander Mosthaf, 2014. "Do Scarring Effects of Low-Wage Employment and Non-Employment Differ BETWEEN Levels of Qualification?," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(2), pages 154-177, May.
    9. Francesco Chelli & Mariateresa Ciommi & Francesca Mariani & Gloria Polinesi & Maria Cristina Recchioni & Giuseppe Ricciardo Lamonica & Luca Salvati, 2022. "A Story of Strengths and Weaknesses in Tertiary Education: Evaluating ‘Mobility’ and ‘Opportunities’ in OECD Countries with Composite Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Riphahn, Regina T. & Trübswetter, Parvati, 2011. "The intergenerational transmission of educational attainment in East and West Germany," IAB-Discussion Paper 201104, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    11. Zaharieva, Anna & Mitkova, Mariya & Damdinsuren, Erdenebulgan, 2022. "Parental Networks, Wage Expectations, and the IntergenerationalEducational Mobility," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264100, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    12. Zimmermann, Markus & Fitzenberger, Bernd & Osikominu, Aderonke, 2016. "Cohort Changes in Educational Pathways and Returns to Education," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145927, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Biewen, Martin & Tapalaga, Madalina, 2017. "Life-cycle educational choices in a system with early tracking and ‘second chance’ options," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 80-94.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intergenerational transmission; Human capital investment; Tertiary education; I2; I23; C25;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities

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