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The Expansion of Higher Education in Colombia: Bad Students or Bad Programs?

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  • Adriana Camacho
  • Julián Messina
  • Juan Pablo Uribe

Abstract

A rapid expansion in the demand for post-secondary education triggered an unprecedented boom of higher education programs in Colombia, possibly deteriorating quality. This paper uses rich administrative data matching school admission information, socio-economic characteristics of the young graduates, standardized test scores pre- and post-tertiary education and entry wages, to assess the heterogeneity in the value added generated by new higher education programs. Our findings show that once we account for self-selection the penalty of attending a recently created program, which initially appeared to be quite large, becomes close to zero.

Suggested Citation

  • Adriana Camacho & Julián Messina & Juan Pablo Uribe, 2017. "The Expansion of Higher Education in Colombia: Bad Students or Bad Programs?," Documentos CEDE 15352, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:015352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Adolfo Meisel Roca & Angela Granger Serrano, 2022. "El éxito de los pilos: un estudio de caso," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, vol. 25(1), June.
    3. Ricardo Nogales & Pamela Córdova & Manuel Urquidi, 2020. "The impact of university reputation on employment opportunities: Experimental evidence from Bolivia," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 31(4), pages 524-542, December.
    4. Luis E. Arango & Luz A. Flórez & María A. Olarte-Delgado, 2019. "Precio del carbón y dinámica laboral en Valledupar," Revista de Economía del Rosario, Universidad del Rosario, vol. 22(2), pages 313-370, December.
    5. Ferreyra,Maria Marta & Galindo,Camila & Urzúa,Sergio, 2021. "Labor Market Effects of Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs : Lessons from Colombia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9717, The World Bank.
    6. Yoshimichi Murakami & Tomokazu Nomura, 2023. "Decline in values of degrees and recent evolution of wage inequality: Evidence from Chile," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 50(1 Year 20), pages 55-132, June.
    7. Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri & Andrés Álvarez, 2023. "The persistence of segregation in education: Evidence from historical elites and ethnic surnames in Colombia," Cuadernos de Historia Económica 58, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    8. Juliana Londono-Velez & Catherine Rodriguez & Fabio Sánchez?, 2017. "The Intended and Unintended Impacts of a Merit-Based Financial Aid Program for the Poor: The Case of Ser Pilo Paga," Documentos CEDE 15466, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    9. Leonardo Fabio Morales & Christian Posso & Luz A. Flórez, 2021. "Heterogeneity in the Returns to Tertiary Education for the Disadvantage Youth: Quality vs. Quantity Analysis," Borradores de Economia 1150, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    10. Laajaj, Rachid & Moya, Andrés & Sánchez, Fabio, 2022. "Equality of opportunity and human capital accumulation: Motivational effect of a nationwide scholarship in Colombia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    11. Penney, Jeffrey & Lehrer, Steven F. & Bernal, Gloria L. & Reyes, Luis Carlos, 2023. "Do opportunities for low-income students at top colleges promote academic success? Evidence from Colombia's Ser Pilo Paga program," CLEF Working Paper Series 64, Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), University of Waterloo.
    12. Busso, Matias & Montaño, Sebastián & Muñoz-Morales, Juan S., 2023. "Signaling Specific Skills and the Labor Market of College Graduates," IZA Discussion Papers 16449, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Londoño-Vélez, Juliana, 2022. "The impact of diversity on perceptions of income distribution and preferences for redistribution," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    14. Julian Messina & Joana Silva, 2018. "Wage Inequality in Latin America," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 28682, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Returns to Tertiary Education; Heterogeneity; Value Added of Higher Education; Colombia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education

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