Tradeoffs and Limitations: Understanding the Estimation of College Undermatch.
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| Title: | Tradeoffs and Limitations: Understanding the Estimation of College Undermatch. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Rodriguez, Awilda1 awilda@umich.edu |
| Source: | Research in Higher Education. Sep2015, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p566-594. 29p. 10 Charts. |
| Subject Terms: | *Academic qualifications, *College students, *Research, *Higher education research, *College choice, *University & college admission |
| Geographic Terms: | United States |
| Abstract: | Within the past decade, there has been a growing number of studies examining undermatch-when students apply to or enroll in institutions less selective than their academic qualifications permit. To estimate undermatch, researchers must define institutions' selectivity levels and determine which students are eligible to gain admission to these selectivity levels. Researchers examining undermatch have used different approaches to defining institutional selectivity and student qualifications. This, in turn, has produced a wide range of undermatch rates, and at times, conflicting or inconclusive findings for underrepresented students. As the body of literature on undermatch expands, the tradeoffs and limitations in estimation approaches must be better understood. Using a nationally representative sample of students (ELS:2002), this study empirically tested these differences in undermatch estimations using two different definitions of institutional selectivity and three distinct approaches of calculating student qualifications on the (1) distribution of students across qualification levels; (2) undermatch rates; and (3) likelihood of undermatch. Findings show that depending on the approach taken, the distribution of student qualifications, undermatch rates, and odds ratios in subsequent analyses can vary greatly. For underrepresented students, the difference in estimation methods can change their representation in various qualification levels, the gaps in undermatch rates, and the significance of results in their likelihood of undermatching. Implications for future undermatch research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Research in Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 108931853 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Tradeoffs and Limitations: Understanding the Estimation of College Undermatch. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rodriguez%2C+Awilda%22">Rodriguez, Awilda</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> awilda@umich.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Research+in+Higher+Education%22">Research in Higher Education</searchLink>. Sep2015, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p566-594. 29p. 10 Charts. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+qualifications%22">Academic qualifications</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+students%22">College students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+education+research%22">Higher education research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+choice%22">College choice</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22University+%26+college+admission%22">University & college admission</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Within the past decade, there has been a growing number of studies examining undermatch-when students apply to or enroll in institutions less selective than their academic qualifications permit. To estimate undermatch, researchers must define institutions' selectivity levels and determine which students are eligible to gain admission to these selectivity levels. Researchers examining undermatch have used different approaches to defining institutional selectivity and student qualifications. This, in turn, has produced a wide range of undermatch rates, and at times, conflicting or inconclusive findings for underrepresented students. As the body of literature on undermatch expands, the tradeoffs and limitations in estimation approaches must be better understood. Using a nationally representative sample of students (ELS:2002), this study empirically tested these differences in undermatch estimations using two different definitions of institutional selectivity and three distinct approaches of calculating student qualifications on the (1) distribution of students across qualification levels; (2) undermatch rates; and (3) likelihood of undermatch. Findings show that depending on the approach taken, the distribution of student qualifications, undermatch rates, and odds ratios in subsequent analyses can vary greatly. For underrepresented students, the difference in estimation methods can change their representation in various qualification levels, the gaps in undermatch rates, and the significance of results in their likelihood of undermatching. Implications for future undermatch research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Research in Higher Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=108931853 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11162-015-9363-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 29 StartPage: 566 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Academic qualifications Type: general – SubjectFull: College students Type: general – SubjectFull: Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Higher education research Type: general – SubjectFull: College choice Type: general – SubjectFull: University & college admission Type: general – SubjectFull: United States Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Tradeoffs and Limitations: Understanding the Estimation of College Undermatch. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rodriguez, Awilda IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Sep2015 Type: published Y: 2015 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 03610365 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 56 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Research in Higher Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
