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Gender bias in standardized tests: evidence from a centralized college admissions system

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  • Perihan O. Saygin

    (University of Florida)

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the gender gap in educational outcomes from different student assessment methods. I exploit a college application setting in which the centralized admission system allocates students based on a composite score, which is a weighted average of high school grade point average and a standardized test score. Using administrative data, I find that females significantly outperform males in high school grade point average in every subject, and not only on average but also at all quantiles. Yet the situation is reversed when it comes to standardized test scores: males outperform females in all subjects and almost all quantiles, with the largest magnitude of the difference in quantitative subjects and highest quantiles. Based on these findings, I argue that the gender gap is affected by the student assessment method used in a centralized system of college admissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Perihan O. Saygin, 2020. "Gender bias in standardized tests: evidence from a centralized college admissions system," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 1037-1065, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:59:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s00181-019-01662-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-019-01662-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Simone Balestra & Aurélien Sallin & Stefan C. Wolter, 2023. "High-Ability Influencers? The Heterogeneous Effects of Gifted Classmates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 58(2), pages 633-665.
    2. Maddalena Davoli, 2023. "A, B, or C? Question Format and the Gender Gap in Financial Literacy," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0206, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    3. Finger, Claudia & Solga, Heike, 2023. "Test Participation or Test Performance: Why Do Men Benefit from Test-Based Admission to Higher Education?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 96(4), pages 344-366.
    4. Saygin, Perihan O. & Atwater, Ann, 2021. "Gender differences in leaving questions blank on high-stakes standardized tests," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender gap; Standardized test; College admissions; Centralized admissions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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