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College, cognitive ability, and socioeconomic disadvantage: policy lessons from the UK in 1960-2004

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Ichino
  • Aldo Rustichini
  • Giulio Zanella

Abstract

University access has significantly expanded in OECD countries, and further growth figures prominently in political agendas. We study possible consequences of historical and future expansions in a stochastic, general equilibrium Roy model where tertiary educational attainment is determined by cognitive ability and socioeconomic disadvantage. In our analysis, individual productivity depends not only on education but also directly on cognitive ability. The expansion of university access in the UK that started in the 1960s provides an ideal case study to draw lessons for the future. We find that this expansion led to the selection into college of progressively less talented students from advantaged backgrounds. Appropriate counterfactual policies existed that would have achieved the dual goal of increasing college graduates' cognitive ability while improving tertiary education opportunities for the disadvantaged.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Ichino & Aldo Rustichini & Giulio Zanella, 2025. "College, cognitive ability, and socioeconomic disadvantage: policy lessons from the UK in 1960-2004," RFBerlin Discussion Paper Series 2575, Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RF Berlin).
    • Handle: RePEc:crm:wpaper:2575
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • 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
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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