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Do High School Peers Have Persistent Effects on College Attainment and Other Life Outcomes?

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Bifulco

    (Syracuse University)

  • Jason Fletcher

    (University of Wisconsin--Madison)

  • Sun Jung Oh

    (Syracuse University)

  • Stephen L. Ross

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines the impact of high school cohort composition on the educational and labor market outcomes of individuals during their early 20s and again during their late 20s and early 30s. We find that the positive effects of having more high school classmates with a college educated mother on college attendance in the years immediately following high school decline as students reach their later 20s and early 30s, and are not followed by comparable effects on college completion and labor market outcomes. The results suggest that factors that increase college attendance are not always sufficient to improve college graduation rates and longer term outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Bifulco & Jason Fletcher & Sun Jung Oh & Stephen L. Ross, 2014. "Do High School Peers Have Persistent Effects on College Attainment and Other Life Outcomes?," Working Papers 2014-005, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2014-005
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Ross_etal_2014_high-school-peers.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Education; Peer Effects; Cohort Study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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