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Affirmative Action in College Admission Decisions and the Distribution of Human Capital

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  • David Welsch

    (Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater)

Abstract

This paper presents a model consisting of a large number of students who differ by race and by the stock of human capital of their parents. Students choose effort levels in high school and college. College attendance is dependent on the student’s decision to attend college and the college’s decision to accept the student. Colleges in this paper enact admission policies that are not colorblind. The computational experiments reveal that under affirmative action, some minority students who were already attending college without affirmative action acquire less human capital because affirmative action reduces their incentive to exert effort in high school.

Suggested Citation

  • David Welsch, 2012. "Affirmative Action in College Admission Decisions and the Distribution of Human Capital," Working Papers 12-02, UW-Whitewater, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uww:wpaper:12-02
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    File URL: http://www.uww.edu/documents/colleges/cobe/economics/wpapers/12-02_Welsch.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Affirmative Action; College;

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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