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

Author

Listed:
  • Josselyn Barranco-Santamaria

    (El Colegio de Mexico)

  • Mario Lechuga-Calderon

    (El Colegio de Mexico)

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).

Suggested Citation

  • Josselyn Barranco-Santamaria & Mario Lechuga-Calderon, 2025. "Competition for Prestige: The Association Between University Rankings and Major Choice at unam," Sobre México. Revista de Economía, Sobre México. Temas en economía, vol. 1(12), pages 73-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:smx:journl:12:73:102
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    File URL: https://sobremexico-revista.ibero.mx/index.php/Revista_Sobre_Mexico/article/view/184
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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