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The gender gap in college major choice in Chile

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  • Bordón, Paola
  • Canals, Catalina
  • Mizala, Alejandra

Abstract

This paper studies gender differences in college applications in Chile. We use the revealed preferences of students for college major choice by taking advantage of Chile’s Centralized Admission System, and estimate a nested logit model to predict the first preference of applicants. We find that males apply to selective programs even when they are marginal candidates, while equally qualified female candidates tend to apply less often to these programs. Using counterfactual exercises, we conclude that to successfully address the gender gap, along with promoting females’ participation in STEM careers, we must increase males’ willingness to consider non-STEM fields. Closing the gender gap does not imply a loss in terms of talent distribution by area of knowledge.

Suggested Citation

  • Bordón, Paola & Canals, Catalina & Mizala, Alejandra, 2020. "The gender gap in college major choice in Chile," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:77:y:2020:i:c:s0272775719304698
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2020.102011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Graziella Bertocchi & Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2021. "Adams and Eves:The Gender Gap in Economics Major," CHILD Working Papers Series 95 JEL Classification: J., Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    2. Yanqing Ding & Wei Li & Xin Li & Yinduo Wu & Jin Yang & Xiaoyang Ye, 2021. "Heterogeneous Major Preferences for Extrinsic Incentives: The Effects of Wage Information on the Gender Gap in STEM Major Choice," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 62(8), pages 1113-1145, December.
    3. Zhou, Yonghong, 2023. "Influence of political movement on fields of study: Evidence from Hong Kong," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Delaney, Judith M. & Devereux, Paul J., 2024. "Gender Differences in Graduate Degree Choices," IZA Discussion Papers 16918, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Graziella Bertocchi & Luca Bonacini & Marina Murat, 2023. "Adams and Eves: High school math and the gender gap in Economics majors," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(4), pages 798-817, October.
    6. Granato, Silvia, 2023. "Early Influences and the choice of college major: Can policies reduce the gender gap in scientific curricula (STEM)?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 494-521.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender gap; Gender preferences; College major choice; Nested logit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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