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College Admissions in China : A Mechanism Design Perspective

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  • Min Zhu

    (GATE Lyon Saint-Étienne - Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon - Saint-Etienne - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - UCBL - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 - Université de Lyon - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This paper justifies the evolution of the college admissions system in China from a mechanism design perspective. The sequential choice algorithm and the parallel choice algorithm used in the context of China's college admissions system are formulated as the well-studied Boston mechanism and the Simple Serial Dictatorship mechanism. We review both theoretical and experimental mechanism design literature in similar assignment problems. Studies show that the Boston mechanism does not eliminate justified envy, is not strategy-proof and is not Pareto-efficient. The Simple Serial Dictatorship mechanism eliminates justified envy, is strategy-proof and is Pareto-efficient, thus outperforming the Boston mechanism in all three criteria. This result provides justification for the transition in recent years from the sequential choice algorithm to the parallel choice algorithm in China's college admissions practices.

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  • Min Zhu, 2013. "College Admissions in China : A Mechanism Design Perspective," Working Papers halshs-00860931, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00860931
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00860931v2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Connie H. Wang & Bin-Tzong Chie & Shu-Heng Chen, 2017. "Transitional student admission mechanism from tracking to mixing: an agent-based policy analysis," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 253-293, June.

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