Seminar by- Kehinde Ajayi, Boston University, 23rd August, 2016 (Tuseday) at 3:00 PM

Student Performance and the Effects of School Quality versus School Fit

by

Kehinde Ajayi
Boston University

On

23rd August, 2016 (Tuesday) at 3:00 PM

Venue : Seminar Room (First Floor)
Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics

All are cordially invited

Abstract

This paper quantifies the effects of attending a school with high academic quality versus one with preferred characteristics. Analyzing data on secondary students in Ghana, I find that school quality generates larger benefits than school fit — students admitted to schools with high performing peers are more likely to stay in the same school and have modest gains in exam scores; students admitted to schools with their preferred characteristics are more likely to stay in the same school, but do not have better exam performance. These results suggest that prioritizing school quality over school fit maximizes student learning.