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Mismatch in Law School

Author

Listed:
  • Jesse Rothstein

    (Princeton University and NBER)

  • Albert Yoon

    (Northwestern University)

Abstract

An important criticism of affirmative action policies in admissions is that they may hurt minority students who are thereby induced to attend selective schools. We use two comparisons to identify so-called mismatch effects in law schools, with consistent results. Black students attain better employment outcomes than do whites with similar credentials. Any mismatch effects on graduation and bar exam passage rates are confined to the bottom quintile of the entering credentials distribution, where selection bias is an important, potentially confounding factor. Elite law schools' use of affirmative action thus does not appear to generate mismatch effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesse Rothstein & Albert Yoon, 2006. "Mismatch in Law School," Working Papers 79, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Center for Economic Policy Studies..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:cepsud:123
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    18. Jesse Rothstein & Albert H. Yoon, 2007. "Affirmative Action in Law School Admissions: What Do Racial Preferences Do?," Working Papers 20, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Education Research Section..
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    Cited by:

    1. John Fordyce & Lisa K Jepsen & Ken McCormick, 2017. "Predicting First-year Law School Performance: The Influences of Race, Gender, and Undergraduate Major," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 43(1), pages 64-77, January.
    2. Peter Arcidiacono & Esteban M. Aucejo & Hanming Fang & Kenneth I. Spenner, 2011. "Does affirmative action lead to mismatch? A new test and evidence," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 2(3), pages 303-333, November.
    3. Valerie Michelman & Joseph Price & Seth D Zimmerman, 2022. "Old Boys’ Clubs and Upward Mobility Among the Educational Elite [Do Immigrants Assimilate More Slowly Today Than in the Past?]," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 137(2), pages 845-909.
    4. Alexis Le Chapelain, 2014. "Market for education and student achievement [Marché de l’éducation et réussite scolaire]," SciencePo Working papers Main tel-03510563, HAL.
    5. Braz Camargo & Ralph Stinebrickner & Todd Stinebrickner, 2010. "Interracial Friendships in College," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(4), pages 861-892, October.
    6. Guilherme Strifezzi Leal & Ã lvaro Choi, 2021. "Racial quotas in higher education and pre-college academic performance: Evidence from Brazil," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2021/411, University of Barcelona School of Economics.
    7. Alexis Le Chapelain, 2014. "Market for education and student achievement [Marché de l’éducation et réussite scolaire]," SciencePo Working papers tel-03510563, HAL.
    8. Valerie Michelman & Joseph Price & Seth D Zimmerman, 2023. "Old Boys’ Clubs and Upward Mobility Among the Educational Elite," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 137(2), pages 845-909.
    9. Cortes, Kalena E., 2010. "Do Bans on Affirmative Action Hurt Minority Students? Evidence from the Texas Top 10% Plan," IZA Discussion Papers 5021, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Bertrand, Marianne & Hanna, Rema & Mullainathan, Sendhil, 2010. "Affirmative action in education: Evidence from engineering college admissions in India," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1-2), pages 16-29, February.
    11. Francis-Tan, Andrew & Tannuri-Pianto, Maria, 2018. "Black Movement: Using discontinuities in admissions to study the effects of college quality and affirmative action," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 97-116.
    12. Cortes, Kalena E., 2010. "Do bans on affirmative action hurt minority students? Evidence from the Texas Top 10% Plan," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 1110-1124, December.
    13. Joanne W. Golann & Kerstin Gentsch & Chang Y. Chung, 2012. "Does the "Mismatch Hypothesis" Apply to Hispanic Students at Selective Colleges?," Working Papers 31, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Education Research Section..
    14. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/1jgbspo1909q48svne93o55rca is not listed on IDEAS
    15. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/1jgbspo1909q48svne93o55rca is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Rodney J. Andrews & Jing Li & Michael F. Lovenheim, 2012. "Quantile Treatment Effects of College Quality on Earnings: Evidence from Administrative Data in Texas," NBER Working Papers 18068, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • K30 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - General

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