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What You Do in High School Matters: High School GPA, Educational Attainment, and Labor Market Earnings as a Young Adult

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  • Michael T French

    (1] Department of Sociology, University of Miami, 5202 University Drive, Merrick Building, Room 121 F, Coral Gables, FL 33124-2030, USA.
    2] Health Economics Research Group, Sociology Research Center, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA.)

  • Jenny F Homer

    (Health Economics Research Group, Sociology Research Center, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA.)

  • Ioana Popovici

    (Department of Sociobehavioral and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University, 3200 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA.)

  • Philip K Robins

    (Department of Economics, University of Miami, Jenkins Bldg., Room 517D, Coral Gables, FL 33124-6550, USA.)

Abstract

Using abstracted grades and other data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, we investigate the relationships between cumulative high school grade point average (GPA), educational attainment, and labor market earnings among a sample of young adults (ages 24–34). We estimate several models with an extensive list of control variables and high school fixed effects. Results consistently show that high school GPA is a positive and statistically significant predictor of educational attainment and earnings in adulthood. Moreover, the coefficient estimates are large and economically important for each gender. Interesting and somewhat unexpected findings emerge for race in that, after controlling for innate ability, academic performance, and other economic and demographic variables, African Americans advance further in the formal educational system than their White counterparts. Various sensitivity tests support the stability of the core findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael T French & Jenny F Homer & Ioana Popovici & Philip K Robins, 2015. "What You Do in High School Matters: High School GPA, Educational Attainment, and Labor Market Earnings as a Young Adult," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 41(3), pages 370-386, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:easeco:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:370-386
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fanny Landaud & Éric Maurin & Barton Willage & Alexander L.P. Willén, 2022. "Getting Lucky: The Long-Term Consequences of Exam Luck," CESifo Working Paper Series 9570, CESifo.
    2. Carolina Otero, 2021. "Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Timely Bachelor’s Degree Attainment," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Kieron J. Barclay & Dalton Conley, 2022. "The influence of cousin order and cousin group size on educational outcomes," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-013, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    4. François Bourguignon, 2018. "World Changes in Inequality: an Overview of Facts, Causes, Consequences, and Policies1," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 64(3), pages 345-370.
    5. Britta Rude, 2022. "Can We Grow with our Children? The Effects of a Comprehensive Early Childhood Development Program," ifo Working Paper Series 372, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    6. Marlon R. Tracey & Chanita C. Holmes & Marvin G. Powell, 2024. "Parental limit-setting decisions and adolescent subject grades," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 143-171, March.
    7. Markussen, Simen & Røed, Knut, 2023. "The rising influence of family background on early school performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Britta Rude, 2024. "Middle-run educational impacts of comprehensive early childhood interventions: evidence from a pioneer program in Chile," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 1-30, June.
    9. Miranda, Alejandra & Rodriguez, Michael C., 2023. "Are bullying experiences and developmental assets associated with education outcomes for youth in foster care?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    10. Costas-Fernández, Julián & Morando, Greta & Holford, Angus, 2023. "The effect of foreign students in higher education on native students’ outcomes," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Denver M. Y. Brown & Carah Porter & Faith Hamilton & Fernanda Almanza & Christina Narvid & Megan Pish & Diego Arizabalo, 2022. "Interactive Associations between Physical Activity and Sleep Duration in Relation to Adolescent Academic Achievement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-11, November.
    12. Lee, Jaewon & Allen, Jennifer, 2022. "Inequality in the intergenerational economic mobility in single mother-headed households," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).

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