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Lasting Effects of Retaking College Admission Exams

Author

Listed:
  • Frisancho, Veronica

    (CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Buenos Aires, Argentina)

  • Gallegos, Sebastian

    (Universidad Adolfo Ibañez)

  • Gonzalez, Constanza

    (Universidad Adolfo Ibañez)

Abstract

Do second chances at a high-stakes admission exam yield long-term gains? Leveraging fifteen years of Chilean administrative data and an RDD, we examine the causal effects of retaking on educational and labor market trajectories. Narrowly missing a preferred program cutoff triggers a 44% increase in retaking, leading to substantial score gains (0.27 SD) and improved placement and enrollment chances. However, these immediate gains do not persist. Retakers graduate at the same rate and from programs with similar earnings and employability profiles as their counterfactual peers. Our results suggest that retaking serves as a reshuffling mechanism yielding null net welfare gains.

Suggested Citation

  • Frisancho, Veronica & Gallegos, Sebastian & Gonzalez, Constanza, 2026. "Lasting Effects of Retaking College Admission Exams," IZA Discussion Papers 18467, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18467
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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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