ERIC Number: EJ1297038
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jun
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1938-8926
EISSN: N/A
College Undermatching, Bachelor's Degree Attainment, and Minority Students
Kang, Chungseo; García Torres, Darlene
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, v14 n2 p264-277 Jun 2021
Using the National Center for Education Statistics 2002-2012 Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS) data set, this study examines the relation between college undermatching and bachelor's degree attainment, and whether the influences of undermatching on bachelor's degree attainment vary by race/ethnicity. Results revealed students who undermatched were less likely to graduate college within 4 years, as well as 6 years, than students who matched to a college commensurate with their academic qualifications. The evidence also showed the negative relation between college completion and undermatching was stronger among students with a relatively high probability of graduation. Thus, policymakers and educators need to be concerned about bachelor's degree attainment for even highly qualified students if they are undermatched. Our results also illustrate that race/ethnicity and undermatching effects on degree completion can be best understood in concert rather than separately. It suggests that undermatching can be a mechanism for structural inequality in terms of bachelor's degree attainment across racial/ethnic groups. In particular, the bachelor's degree attainment gap among Hispanics based on undermatching was the largest across race/ethnicity groups. We highlight the importance of addressing Hispanic undermatching, as Hispanics show the greatest negative effects of undermatching among all student groups.
Descriptors: College Choice, Educational Attainment, Bachelors Degrees, Time to Degree, Minority Group Students, Hispanic American Students, College Students, Selective Admission, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Correlation, Socioeconomic Status, Predictor Variables, Grade Point Average, Longitudinal Studies, College Entrance Examinations, Advanced Placement Programs
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (NCES); SAT (College Admission Test); ACT Assessment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A