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Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru

Author

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  • Ricardo Estrada

    (CAF – Development Bank of Latin America)

  • Jérémie Gignoux

    (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, 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)

  • Agustina Hatrick

    (CAF – Development Bank of Latin America)

Abstract

We study how the admission of an older schoolmate to an elite secondary school influences the application decisions and admission outcomes of younger students. Our study focuses on the rapid expansion of a nationwide system of highly selective secondary schools in Peru. These schools are free of charge, which enables us to investigate the effect of peers on educational choices in a context with minimal financial barriers. Using a sharp regression discontinuity design, our analysis shows that the admission of an older schoolmate increases the number of younger students who apply (by 17%) and are admitted (by 43%) to this elite school system. The effect on applications is concentrated among students with low socioeconomic status (SES). Our evidence suggests that role models can reduce the socioeconomic aspirations gap by helping high-achieving, low-SES youth to learn about the benefits of attending elite schools and to assess whether such institutions are a good match for them.

Suggested Citation

  • Ricardo Estrada & Jérémie Gignoux & Agustina Hatrick, 2024. "Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru," Working Papers halshs-04350164, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-04350164
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04350164v2
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    2. Estrada, Ricardo, 2022. "The effect of the demand for elite schools on stratification," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).

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