Occupational sorting. In preparing young people for future jobs, schooling helps sort people into different kinds of jobs. Not all schools are the same. Some schools emphasize specific trades, giving...

Occupational sorting. In preparing young people for future jobs, schooling helps sort people into different kinds of jobs. Not all schools are the same. Some schools emphasize specific trades, giving students skills in, say, plumbing or auto repair, whereas other schools focus on college preparation and send many graduates off to college and, subsequently, graduate school.