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Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher Avery
  • Oded Gurantz
  • Michael Hurwitz
  • Jonathan Smith
Abstract
Mapping continuous raw scores from millions of Advanced Placement examinations onto the 1 to 5 integer scoring scale, we apply a regression discontinuity design to understand how students’ choice of college major is impacted by receiving a higher integer score despite similar exam performance to students who earned a lower integer score. Attaining higher scores increases the probability that a student will major in that exam subject by approximately 5 percent (0.64 percentage points), with some individual exams demonstrating increases in major choice by as much as 30 percent. These direct impacts of a higher score explain approximately 11 percent of the unconditional 64 percent (5.7 percentage points) gap in the probability of majoring in the same subject as the AP exam when attaining a 5 versus a 4. We estimate that a substantial portion of the overall effect is driven by behavioral responses to the positive signal of receiving a higher score.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Avery & Oded Gurantz & Michael Hurwitz & Jonathan Smith, 2016. "Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores," NBER Working Papers 22841, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:22841
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    Cited by:

    1. Fernanda Estevan & Thomas Gall & Louis-Philippe Morin, 2019. "Can Affirmative Action Affect Major Choice?," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-324, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    2. Bizopoulou, Aspasia & Megalokonomou, Rigissa & Simion, Stefania, 2022. "Do Second Chances Pay Off? Evidence from a Natural Experiment with Low-Achieving Students," IZA Discussion Papers 15139, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Avery, Christopher & Goodman, Joshua, 2022. "Ability signals and rigorous coursework: Evidence from AP Calculus participation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Fricke, Hans & Grogger, Jeffrey & Steinmayr, Andreas, 2018. "Exposure to academic fields and college major choice," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 199-213.
    5. Machin, Stephen & McNally, Sandra & Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer, 2020. "Entry through the narrow door: The costs of just failing high stakes exams," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    6. Georg Graetz & Björn Öckert & Oskar Nordström Skans, 2020. "Family Background and the Responses to Higher SAT Scores," CESifo Working Paper Series 8362, CESifo.
    7. Feng, Qiang & Wang, Xiaojun, 2018. "The psychological effects of academic labeling: The case of class tracks," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 568-581.
    8. Sargent, Carol Springer & Sullivan, Troy & McAlum, Harry, 2022. "DFW in gateway courses not always a graduation problem: A study in Intermediate Accounting I from 2007 to 2018," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    9. Fazlul, Ishtiaque & Jones, Todd & Smith, Jonathan, 2021. "College Credit on the Table? Advanced Placement Course and Exam Taking," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Serena Canaan & Antoine Deeb & Pierre Mouganie, 2022. "Adviser Value Added and Student Outcomes: Evidence from Randomly Assigned College Advisers," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 151-191, November.
    11. Aspasia Bizopoulou & Rigissa Megalokonomou & Stefania Simion, 2022. "Do Second Chances Pay Off?," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 22/762, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    12. Marcos Agurto & Sandra Buzinsky & Siddharth Hari & Valeria Quevedo & Sudipta Sarangi & Susana Vegas, 2020. "Academic Aptitude Signals and STEM field participation: A Regression Discontinuity Approach," Working Papers 2020-08, Lima School of Economics.
    13. Richard W. Patterson & Nolan G. Pope & Aaron Feudo, 2019. "Timing is Everything: Evidence from College Major Decisons," CESifo Working Paper Series 7448, CESifo.
    14. Stefania Bortolotti & Annalisa Loviglio, 2024. "The Impact of a Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program on University Choices and Performance," Working Papers wp1192, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    15. Bortolotti, Stefania & Loviglio, Annalisa, 2024. "The Impact of a Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program on University Choices and Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 17417, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Gurantz, Oded & Hurwitz, Michael & Smith, Jonathan, 2020. "Sibling effects on high school exam taking and performance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 534-549.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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