Elite universities and the intergenerational transmission of human and social capital

Barrios-Fernández, Andrés, Neilson, Christopher and Zimmerman, Seth (2024) Elite universities and the intergenerational transmission of human and social capital. CEP Discussion Papers (CEPDP2026). London School of Economics and Political Science. Centre for Economic Performance, London, UK.

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Abstract

Do elite colleges help talented students join the social elite, or help incumbent elites retain their positions? We combine intergenerationally-linked data from Chile with a regression discontinuity design to show that, looking across generations, elite colleges do both. Lower-status individuals who gain admission to elite college programs transform their children's social environment. Children become more likely to attend high-status private schools and colleges, and to live near and befriend high-status peers. In contrast, academic achievement is unaffected. Simulations combining descriptive and quasi-experimental findings show that elite colleges tighten the link between social and human capital while decreasing intergenerational social mobility.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	https://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/publications/discussion...
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author(s)
Divisions:	Economics
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races
JEL classification:	D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D64 - Altruism J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J6 - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies > J62 - Job, Occupational, and Intergenerational Mobility I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I2 - Education > I20 - General
Date Deposited:	24 Feb 2025 10:57
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2025 11:27
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/126793

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