University Behavior under Borrowing Constraints: The Effect of Students' Abilities Distribution

Abstract

The interaction between a university and potential students is examined under the assumptions of financial constraints and of students' abilities following the pattern of a triangular distribution. Subsequently, a comparative statics analysis in terms of welfare and vectors composed of three components – namely quality, tuition fee and ability threshold – is provided. Results suggest that the mode of the distribution is an intrinsic part of equilibria, and that a human capital maximizing university makes additional efforts in terms of pricing and non-pricing strategies in order to alleviate the inconveniences arising due to financial constraints and non-uniformity in the distribution of students' abilities.

Keywords

• triangular distribution of abilities
• borrowing constraints
• education quality
• tuition fees.