Inherited Prestige: Intergenerational Access to Selective Universities

• In Event: 72.044 - The Role of Social and Cultural Capital in Postsecondary School Transitions

Abstract

Given the many economic and social benefits of attending selective universities, it is important to understand the avenues through which advantaged students access selective postsecondary institutions. Our study examines whether the selectivity of a parent’s undergraduate degree contributes to a child enrolling in a selective college, independent of family income, ascriptive characteristics, and academic ability. We find that having a parent who graduated from a selective college is associated with a three-fold increase in the likelihood that a child will attend a selective college, even when we control for a variety of family advantages. These findings contribute to understanding processes of social mobility and intergenerational inequality.

Authors

• Karly Ford, The Pennsylvania State University

• Jason Thompson, New York University