In this paper I investigate whether students self-select into the U.S. for-profit colleges or whether the choice of for-profit sector is accidental or due to the reasons external to the students (geographic exposure to for-profit providers, tuition pricing, or random circumstances). The main student-level data samples come from the National…

Several German states recently introduced tuition fees for university education. We investigate whether these tuition fees influence the mobility of university applicants. Based on administrative data of applicants for medical schools in Germany, we estimate the effect of tuition fees on the probability of applying for a university in the home…

This paper investigates the main determinants of applying to in-state public colleges and universities. I use data from over 500,000 SAT and ACT test takers to examine the roles of college quality and tuition in the college selection decision. I take advantage of the interstate variation in quality and tuition at the public flagship universities…

Explores whether cost of attending elite private colleges bears a return rate comparable to other human capital investments. Compares net present worth of attending elite private colleges to that of less selective public colleges. Private investments in educational quality yield a return rate equal to the return of investments in education…

Examines determinants of tuition at American private colleges using 1982-83 data. Hedonic regression analysis involving over 20 quality measures shows that private college tuition responds in economically sensible ways to changes in public tuition and in quantity and quality of the faculties, facilities, and student bodies at private colleges.…

Estimates demand for 772 U.S. colleges in 1994 by relating new applications to easily confirmable institutional characteristics. Demand is positively related to out-of-state tuition but inversely related to in-state tuition. Those who apply to public and private colleges are distinct subpopulations. Private-school applicants are less price- and…

Investigates effect of tuition and fee changes on matriculation rate of applicants admitted to group of 82 selective liberal arts colleges. Increase in college's tuition and fees causes a significant reduction in the share of admitted applicants who choose to enroll. The elasticity of this relationship is about one-third and is somewhat larger for…

Examines the effects of financial aid on the decision to attend a selective liberal arts college using data obtained from applicants accepted to Occidental College in 1989. Tuition and scholarships affect the probability of enrollment for financial aid applicants, but loans and work study assistance have no statistically significant effect. (six…