Confidence and college applications: Evidence from a randomized intervention

Rustamdjan Hakimov, Renke Schmacker and Camille Terrier

Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Market Behavior from WZB Berlin Social Science Center

Abstract: This paper investigates the role self-confidence plays in college applications. Using incentivized experiments, we measure the self-confidence of more than 2,000 students applying to colleges in France. This data reveals that the best female and low-SES students significantly underestimate their rank in the grade distribution compared to male and high-SES students. By matching our survey data with administrative data on real college applications and admissions, we show that miscalibrated confidence affects college choice on top of grades. We then estimate the impact of a randomized intervention that corrects students' under- and overconfidence by informing them of their real rank in the grade distribution. The treatment reduces the impact of under- and overconfidence for college applications, to the point where only grades but not miscalibrated confidence predict the application behavior of treated students. Providing feedback also makes the best students, who were initially underconfident, apply to more ambitious programs with stronger effects for female and low-SES students.

Keywords: matching mechanism; confidence; information treatment; survey experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C90 D91 I24 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-des and nep-exp
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Confidence and College Applications: Evidence from a Randomized Intervention (2023)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:wzbmbh:spii2022209

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