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Aim High and Persevere! Competitive Pressure and Access Gaps in Top Science Graduate Programs

Author

Listed:
  • Fanny Landaud

    (Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration - Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration)

  • Eric Maurin

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

Abstract

In most countries, female and low income students are still largely under-represented in top science graduate programs. Relying on a unique database on French Grandes Écoles graduate programs and their competitive entrance examinations, this paper reveals that the possibility of repeating and retaking entrance examinations several times contributes significantly to the strong over-representation of high income male students in these very selective programs. Female students appear to be less sensitive to small differences in prestige between programs and more reluctant to persevere in competitive environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Fanny Landaud & Eric Maurin, 2020. "Aim High and Persevere! Competitive Pressure and Access Gaps in Top Science Graduate Programs," Working Papers halshs-03065958, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-03065958
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03065958v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frisancho, Veronica & Krishna, Kala & Lychagin, Sergey & Yavas, Cemile, 2016. "Better luck next time: Learning through retaking," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 120-135.
    2. Thomas Buser & Huaiping Yuan, 2019. "Do Women Give Up Competing More Easily? Evidence from the Lab and the Dutch Math Olympiad," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 225-252, July.
    3. Arcidiacono, Peter & Kinsler, Josh & Ransom, Tyler, 2022. "Recruit to reject? Harvard and African American applicants," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Fanny Landaud & Son Thierry Ly & Éric Maurin, 2020. "Competitive Schools and the Gender Gap in the Choice of Field of Study," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 55(1), pages 278-308.
    5. McCrary, Justin, 2008. "Manipulation of the running variable in the regression discontinuity design: A density test," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 698-714, February.
    6. Kasey Buckles, 2019. "Fixing the Leaky Pipeline: Strategies for Making Economics Work for Women at Every Stage," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(1), pages 43-60, Winter.
    7. Xiqian Cai & Yi Lu & Jessica Pan & Songfa Zhong, 2019. "Gender Gap under Pressure: Evidence from China's National College Entrance Examination," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(2), pages 249-263, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. 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, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Devereux, Paul J. & Delaney, Judith, 2021. "Gender and Educational Achievement: Stylized Facts and Causal Evidence," CEPR Discussion Papers 15753, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Camille Remigereau & Clara Schäper, 2024. "The Impact of Student Aid Eligibility on Higher Education Applications," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 2104, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Bizopoulou, Aspasia & Megalokonomou, Rigissa & Simion, Ştefania, 2024. "Do second chances pay off? Evidence from a natural experiment with low-achieving students," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    5. Landaud, Fanny & Maurin, Eric, 2022. "Tracking When Ranking Matters," IZA Discussion Papers 15157, IZA Network @ LISER.
    6. 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.
    7. Veronica Frisancho & Sebastian Gallegos & Constanza González, 2026. "Lasting Effects of Retaking College Admission Exams," Working Papers 2026-004, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    8. Camille Remigereau & Clara Schäper, 2024. "The Impact of Student Aid Eligibility on Higher Education Applications," CESifo Working Paper Series 11592, CESifo.
    9. Aspasia Bizopoulou & Rigissa Megalokonomou & Stefania Simion, 2023. "Do Second Chances Pay Off? Evidence from a Natural Experiment with Low-Achieving Students," Monash Economics Working Papers 2023-05, Monash University, Department of Economics.

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