Selectivity and the College Experience: How Undermatching Shapes the College Experience Among High-Achieving Students
Selectivity and the College Experience: How Undermatching Shapes the College Experience Among High-Achieving Students
 
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Selectivity and the College Experience: How Undermatching Shapes the College Experience Among High-Achieving Students

Presented at:
AERA 2014 Annual Meeting
April 4, 2014

Kevin John Fosnacht, Indiana University, Bloomington

Abstract

This study examined the first-year college experiences of high achieving academic undermatches. Confirming previous research, it finds that undermatching is a common outcome of the college choice process for high achieving students. The results indicate that students who undermatch have different college experiences than similar peers who did not undermatch. Using propensity score modeling to estimate the impacts of undermatching, the study found that attending less selective institutions was associated with a less academic challenging academic environment, fewer self-perceived gains, and lower levels of college satisfaction during the first college year. However, students who attended less selective institutions had more frequent interactions with faculty and engaged in more active and collaborative learning activities. The implications of undermatching and how to reduce its prevalence are discussed.

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