Social closure, school socioeconomic composition, and inequality in college enrollments

Abstract

We study associations between secondary school socioeconomic composition and college destinations using the Education Longitudinal Study, and whether the association between school SES and type of college enrollment varies by student socioeconomic background. We also examine nonlinearities in these associations, seeking to understand if avoiding poor secondary schools or seeking out affluent secondary schools drives the positive associations between socioeconomic composition and college destinations. Our results indicate that higher SES schools benefit mid- and high-SES students more so than low-SES students. Furthermore, the relationships between school SES and college destinations are non-linear. Results suggest mid- and high-SES students’ chances of enrolling in nonselective four-year colleges are higher when they avoid the poorest schools, while their chances of enrolling in selective four-year colleges increase when they enroll in the most affluent secondary schools.