Take Two! SAT Retaking and College Enrollment Gaps

Joshua Goodman (), Oded Gurantz and Jonathan Smith
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Oded Gurantz: University of Missouri

Working Paper Series from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

Abstract: Data on millions of SAT-takers show only half retake the exam, with even lower retake rates among low income and underrepresented minority students. Scoring below multiples of 100 increases retaking, implying some students have round number target scores. Regression discontinuity evidence finds retaking once improves admissions-relevant SAT scores by 0.3 standard deviations on average. Likely by strengthening college applications, retaking substantially increases four-year college enrollment, particularly for low income and underrepresented minority students. Eliminating disparities in retake rates could close up to 20 percent of the income gap and 10 percent of the racial gap in four-year college enrollment.

JEL-codes: I2 I20 I23 I24 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/getFile.aspx?Id=1701

Related works:
Journal Article: Take Two! SAT Retaking and College Enrollment Gaps (2020)
Working Paper: Take Two! SAT Retaking and College Enrollment Gaps (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp18-031

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