Competition for Prestige: The Association Between University Rankings and Major Choice at unam

Josselyn Barranco-Santamaria and Mario Lechuga-Calderon
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Josselyn Barranco-Santamaria: El Colegio de Mexico
Mario Lechuga-Calderon: El Colegio de Mexico

Sobre México. Revista de Economía, 2025, vol. 1, issue 12, 73-102

Abstract: This article analyzes how perceived academic prestige, measured through the annual university ranking published by El Universal, influences various indicators of the admission process at UNAM, such as campus-level demand and the degree of competitiveness across campuses. Using individual-level data from admission contests between 2016 and 2023 and applying an Ordinary Least Squares model with fixed effects, the study finds that a worse relative ranking position is significantly associated with fewer applicants and a decline in average admission scores. Results suggest that prestige functions as a self-selection mechanism in highly competitive environments, shaping the composition and quality of campus demand. Self-selection favors higher-ranked campuses and widens internal disparities within the same university (UNAM).

JEL-codes: D81 D83 I23 I24 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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