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Research ArticleArticles

Short-Term Events, Long-Term Friends?

Freshman Orientation Peers and Academic Performance

Raphael Brade
Published online before print April 14, 2025, 1024-13917R1; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1024-13917R1
Raphael Brade
*ifo Institute in Munich and affiliated with LMU Munich and CESifo ().
Roles: postdoctoral researcher
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Abstract

How does the formation of social connections at the beginning of college shape individuals’ subsequent academic performance? Exploiting quasi-random assignment to groups of a two-day freshman orientation program, I find that such brief social activities can be sufficient to generate lasting performance spillovers: being assigned to a peer group with one SD higher ability improves the academic performance of business administration students by 0.05 to 0.08 SD up to three years later. I provide evidence that the effects result from the formation of lasting social ties, and that performance spillovers are moderated by the broader social environment.

JEL Codes:
  • I21
  • I23
  • J24

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Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
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Short-Term Events, Long-Term Friends?
Raphael Brade
Journal of Human Resources Apr 2025, 1024-13917R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1024-13917R1

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Short-Term Events, Long-Term Friends?
Raphael Brade
Journal of Human Resources Apr 2025, 1024-13917R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1024-13917R1
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Keywords

  • I21
  • I23
  • J24
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