GAMING A SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS SYSTEM

B-Tier
Journal: International Economic Review
Year: 2023
Volume: 64
Issue: 1
Pages: 413-443

Authors (2)

Frances Xu Lee (not in RePEc) Wing Suen (University of Hong Kong)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

A university uses both early‐stage selection outcome (high‐school affiliation) and late‐stage admission test outcome (standardized test scores) to select students. We use this model to study policies that have been proposed to combat inefficient gaming in college admissions. Increasing university enrollment size can exacerbate gaming and worsen the selection outcome. Abolishing standardized tests for university admissions increases gaming targeting high‐school admissions and worsens the selection outcome, whereas eliminating high‐school ability sorting may improve the university selection outcome under some cost conditions of gaming. Committing to a lower‐powered selection scheme can improve the selection outcome by reducing gaming behaviors.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:iecrev:v:64:y:2023:i:1:p:413-443
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29