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"Against all odds" Does awareness of the risk of failure matter for educational choices?

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  • Maria Alejandra Cattaneo
  • Stefan C. Wolter

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of information on dropout risks on preferences for academic versus vocational education. Switzerland is used as a case study because of its strongly developed national vocational education system along with marked differences in preferences for and enrolment rates in academic education across its three language regions. Since the education system is harmonized in terms of expectations for the required cognitive performance for an academic degree, this means that different enrolments in academic education need to be partially corrected later by a stronger selection during the studies. By means of a survey experiment, we investigate whether these more pronounced preferences for academic education stem from the fact that educational risks are unknown when making educational decisions, or whether preferences are so strong that these risks are willingly tolerated. Our results suggest that the latter seems more likely to be the case and that a correction of the mismatch cannot come solely via the deterrent effect of the higher risks of dropping out of education.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Alejandra Cattaneo & Stefan C. Wolter, 2021. ""Against all odds" Does awareness of the risk of failure matter for educational choices?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0181, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    • Handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0181
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria A. Cattaneo, 2022. "What wages do people expect for vocational and academic education backgrounds in Switzerland?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0197, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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