The Gender Gap in Gender-Blind University Admissions

We document a substantial gender gap in China’s gender-blind university admissions system: equally qualified female students are less likely to apply and be admitted to elite universities than male students. Leveraging linked administrative and survey data on students’ application choices, preferences, and beliefs, we show that this gap is largely explained by women’s stronger tendency to apply to nearby and education-focused universities. Although men and women report similar personal preferences, female students perceive stronger parental pressure to remain close to home and choose education-focused universities, and are more likely to align their choices with these parental preferences than men. Moreover, the gap is concentrated among students with strong gender stereotype beliefs and disappears among those with weak stereotype beliefs. Our findings demonstrate that gender-blind institutional design alone is insufficient to ensure equal access when men and women face different societal expectations.