Kehinde Ajayi, Boston University
Centre for Development Economics
and
Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics
ANNOUNCE A SEMINAR
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.