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Perceived Ability and School Choices: Experimental Evidence and Scale-up Effects

Author

Listed:
  • Bobba, Matteo
  • Frisancho, Verónica
  • Pariguana, Marco

Abstract

This paper explores an information intervention designed and implemented within a school assignment mechanism in Mexico City. Through a randomized experiment, we show that providing a subset of applicants with feedback about their academic performance can enhance sorting by skill across high school tracks. We embed the experimental variation into an empirical model of schooling choice and outcomes to assess the impact of the intervention for the overall population of applicants. Feedback provision is shown to increase the efficiency of the student school allocation, while congestion externalities are detrimental for the equity of downstream education outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Bobba, Matteo & Frisancho, Verónica & Pariguana, Marco, 2025. "Perceived Ability and School Choices: Experimental Evidence and Scale-up Effects," Research Department working papers 2538, CAF Development Bank Of Latinamerica.
    • Handle: RePEc:dbl:dblwop:2538
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    2. Caterina Calsamiglia & Francisco Martínez-Mora & Antonio Miralles, 2021. "School Choice Design, Risk Aversion and Cardinal Segregation," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(635), pages 1081-1104.
    3. Bobba, Matteo & Frisancho, Veronica, 2022. "Self-perceptions about academic achievement: Evidence from Mexico City," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 231(1), pages 58-73.
    4. Damgaard, Mette Trier & Nielsen, Helena Skyt, 2018. "Nudging in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 313-342.
    5. Sean P. Corcoran & Jennifer L. Jennings & Sarah R. Cohodes & Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, 2018. "Leveling the Playing Field for High School Choice: Results from a Field Experiment of Informational Interventions," NBER Working Papers 24471, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Avitabile, Ciro & Bobba, Matteo & Pariguana, Marco, 2017. "High School Track Choice and Liquidity Constraints: Evidence from Urban Mexico," IZA Discussion Papers 10506, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Rustamdjan Hakimov & Renke Schmacker & Camille Terrier, 2023. "Confidence and College Applications: Evidence from a Randomized Intervention," Working Papers 962, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    8. Hakimov, Rustamdjan & Schmacker, Renke & Terrier, Camille, 2022. "Confidence and college applications: Evidence from a randomized intervention," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Market Behavior SP II 2022-209, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    9. Peter Arcidiacono & Esteban Aucejo & Arnaud Maurel & Tyler Ransom, 2025. "College Attrition and the Dynamics of Information Revelation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 133(1), pages 53-110.
    10. Decerf, Benoit & Van der Linden, Martin, 2021. "Manipulability in school choice," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    11. Tom‡s Larroucau & Ignacio A. Rios & Ana•s Fabre & Christopher Neilson, 2025. "College Application Mistakes and the Design of Information Policies at Scale," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2461, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    12. 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).
    13. Avinatan Hassidim & Déborah Marciano & Assaf Romm & Ran I. Shorrer, 2017. "The Mechanism Is Truthful, Why Aren't You?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 220-224, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • 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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