An Economic Analysis of College Admission Standards

The effects of open or relaxed college admission standards vary across students. Among other effects, a relaxed standard is presumed to raise the number of college graduates, but it reduces the productivity of non-graduates. Since the most egalitarian standard-setters should accord least weight to the former and most weight to the latter, they should be least inclined to favor open admission. Moreover, the effect on the graduation rate is ambiguous, since some infra-marginal college attendees will become less likely to graduate. Finally a lower admission standard reduces performance among students exceeding the graduation standard, by impairing their preparation for college work.