Cumulative disadvantage of college mismatch from college admission to graduation in the United States

Using nationally representative data (Educational Longitudinal Study:02), and a quasi-experimental design, this study examines the causal relationship between college completion and undermatching, when a student attends a less selective college than his/her qualification would permit. This study reveals that undermatching negatively influences college completion within a four year span, and a six year span. In addition, undermatching effects vary widely among students based on college selectivity levels. As the findings of this study reveal, disadvantages related to undermatching continue to grow during college, after the admissions process. These findings highlight the crucial need for further analysis of undermatching, in order to decrease educational inequality and improve college completion rates.