Gender differences in preferences for taking risk in college applications

Perihan Saygin

Economics of Education Review, 2016, vol. 52, issue C, 120-133

Abstract: College admissions in Turkey are based entirely on nationwide standardized test scores and standardized high school GPAs. Using detailed administrative data from the centralized system, I study the impact of gender differences in preferences on the allocation of students to colleges. Controlling for test score, high school GPA, and high school attended, I find that females are more likely to apply to lower-ranking universities, whereas males set a higher bar, revealing a higher option value for retaking the test and applying again next year. These differences in willingness to be unassigned are also found to have implications for major choices.

Keywords: Gender gap; College admissions; Risk taking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C35 I29 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:52:y:2016:i:c:p:120-133

DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.02.002

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