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Specialists or All-Rounders: How Best to Select University Students?

Author

Listed:
  • Pedro Luis Silva

Abstract

I study whether universities should select their students on the basis of only specialized subject-specific tests or a broader set of skills and knowledge. Theoretically, I show that even if broader skills do not improve the outcomes of graduates in the labor market, a university optimally chooses to use them as a criterion for selection alongside the mastery of more subject-specific tools. Empirically, I exploit the variation between subject-specific and nonspecific entrance exam sets on a large administrative dataset of Portuguese students. My central finding is that universities with less specialized admission policies admit a pool of students who obtain a higher final GPA.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Luis Silva, 2024. "Specialists or All-Rounders: How Best to Select University Students?," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 18(2), pages 227-271.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jhucap:doi:10.1086/728086
    DOI: 10.1086/728086
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    Cited by:

    1. Gandil, Mikkel & Leuven, Edwin, 2022. "College admission as a screening and sorting device," Memorandum 2/2022, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    2. Pedro Luis Silva & Carla Sá & Ricardo Biscaia & Pedro N. Teixeira, 2022. "High school and exam scores: Does their predictive validity for academic performance vary with programme selectivity?," NIPE Working Papers 4/2022, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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