<p>Why do so many people suppose there is a correlation between selectivity and educational quality? How would one test whether this supposed correlation is real?</p>
<p>If you approach the problem by looking at outcomes (such as earnings differences), you need to control for the selection effects of admitting smarter, more motivated students (to ensure any differences in the outcomes aren’t just telegraphing those differences in the inputs). Studies by Alan Krueger and Stacy Dale find that after controlling for selection effects, for most students there is no significant earnings benefit to attending a more selective college. [On</a> the Payoff to Attending an Elite College](<a href=“http://www.nber.org/digest/dec99/w7322.html]On”>On the Payoff to Attending an Elite College | NBER)</p>
<p>Many people seem to assume that instruction will be more rigorous at a more selective college. One researcher, John Braxton, has looked at selectivity and rigor as reflected in examination questions. He reports that questions requiring a higher-order level of understanding of course content are asked more frequently on course exams at more selective liberal arts colleges than at less selective LACs. However, in investigating 4 academic fields at 40 research universities, Braxton does not find the same relationship between undergraduate admissions selectivity and more academically demanding course examination questions.
[“Selectivity</a> and Rigor in Research Universities” by Braxton, John M. - Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 64, Issue 6, November-December 1993 | Questia, Your Online Research Library](<a href=“Questia”>Questia)</p>
<p>Other research (by Arum and Roksa) finds a correlation between selectivity and performance on the Collegiate Learning Assessment. Summary:
“Controlling for a range of individual student characteristics, including academic preparation, the authors find that students at selective colleges make stronger gains on the CLAwhich measures critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing skillsthan those at less selective institutions. Selective institutions are defined as those in which students at the 25th percentile have a combined math and verbal SAT score above 1150, and less selective are those in which students at the 25th percentile have a combined score below 950” (emphasis added)
[Learning</a> More at Selective Colleges - Innovations - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/learning-more-at-selective-colleges/28415]Learning”>Innovations: Learning More at Selective Colleges)</p>
<p>So I think there is some correlation between selectivity and educational quality, but it isn’t necessarily as strong and consistent as many people assume.</p>