The Cost of Striving? The Effect of Rankings on Pricing and Student Composition

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: AERA 2016 Division J Section 3: Organization, Management, and Leadership Posters

Abstract

While rapid increase in the cost of higher education has raised concerns about affordability, institutional competition over prestige—striving—has been considered as a contributor to this trend. As rankings prefer institutions with more resources and expenditures, ranking systems are perceived to encourage striving behavior of colleges as schools alter various aspects of institutional functioning to be the best colleges. Yet, a dearth of research examined how the ranking system would affect tuition and diversity at striving institutions. Filling this void in the literature, this research found that rankings affect striving institutions to increase tuition and decrease students who need financial supports. This study provides important implications for the use of rankings/ratings systems as well as research on striving institutions.

Author

• Jeongeun Kim, Arizona State University - Tempe