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Weeds in the Ivy: college admissions under preference constraints

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  • Dennis L. Weisman
  • Dong Li

Abstract

In a series of cases spanning more than three decades, the courts have attempted to establish boundaries on the permissible use of racial preferences in college admissions. Proponents of these policies believe that race-based preferences are needed to create a diverse student body that facilitates effective learning and social inclusion. Opponents of such policies contend that racial preferences are inherently discriminatory and eliminating them would yield a more able student body. Whereas race-based preferences have garnered the most attention, elite colleges regularly employ other types of preferences, including those for alumni and talented athletes. To inform this important policy debate, we develop a simple model comprised of a rational college administrator that maximizes a linear combination of student body ability and the college endowment through the choice of race, legacy and merit admission shares. We find that relaxing the racial-preferences constraint can produce a ‘less-able’ student body even when the college administrator places greater weight on student body ability than she does on the college endowment. The change in admissions policy may serve only to increase the number of admissions that can be ‘sold’ to wealthy alumni through legacy preferences and thereby foster the growth of weeds in the Ivy.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis L. Weisman & Dong Li, 2017. "Weeds in the Ivy: college admissions under preference constraints," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(3), pages 303-312, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:49:y:2017:i:3:p:303-312
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2016.1197366
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David Card & Alan B. Krueger, 2005. "Would the Elimination of Affirmative Action Affect Highly Qualified Minority Applicants? Evidence from California and Texas," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(3), pages 416-434, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Philippe Cyrenne, 2020. "Elite Universities, Program Capacities and the Student Admission Decision," Departmental Working Papers 2020-02, The University of Winnipeg, Department of Economics.
    2. Weisman, Dennis L., 2017. "How to integrate economic analysis into classroom discussions of diversity?," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 8-14.

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