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Equilibrium Grade Inflation with Implications for Female Interest in STEM Majors

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Listed:
  • Thomas Ahn
  • Peter Arcidiacono
  • Amy Hopson
  • James R. Thomas

Abstract

Substantial earnings differences exist across majors with the majors that pay well also having lower grades and higher workloads. We show that the harsher grading policies in STEM courses disproportionately affect women. To show this, we estimate a model of student demand courses and optimal effort choices of students conditional on the chosen courses. Instructor grading policies are treated as equilibrium objects that in part depend on student demand for courses. Restrictions on grading policies that equalize average grades across classes helps to close the STEM gender gap as well as increasing overall enrollment in STEM classes.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Ahn & Peter Arcidiacono & Amy Hopson & James R. Thomas, 2019. "Equilibrium Grade Inflation with Implications for Female Interest in STEM Majors," NBER Working Papers 26556, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26556
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    Cited by:

    1. Bruneel-Zupanc, Christophe Alain, 2021. "Discrete-Continuous Dynamic Choice Models: Identification and Conditional Choice Probability Estimation," TSE Working Papers 21-1185, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    2. Kristin Butcher & Patrick J. McEwan & Akila Weerapana, 2024. "Making the (Letter) Grade: The Incentive Effects of Mandatory Pass/Fail Courses," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 19(3), pages 385-408, Summer.
    3. Kristin F. Butcher & Patrick J. McEwan & Akila Weerapana, 2024. "Women’s Colleges and Economics Major Choice: Evidence from Wellesley College Applicants," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 123-161, April.
    4. Michael Kaganovich, 2023. "Trade-Offs in Choosing a College Major," CESifo Working Paper Series 10650, CESifo.
    5. Calsamiglia, Caterina & Loviglio, Annalisa, 2019. "Grading on a curve: When having good peers is not good," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    6. Li, Hongyan & Xia, Xing, 2024. "Grades as signals of comparative advantage: How letter grades affect major choices," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    7. Michael Kaganovich & Morgan Taylor & Ruli Xiao, 2023. "Gender Differences in Persistence in a Field of Study: This Isn’t All about Grades," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 17(4), pages 503-556.
    8. Michael Kaganovich & Morgan Taylor & Ruli Xiao, 2021. "Gender Differences in Persistence in a Field of Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 9087, CESifo.
    9. Margaret E. Blume‐Kohout & Jacob P. Scott, 2022. "Incentivizing STEM participation: Evidence from the SMART Grant Program," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 89(2), pages 373-405, October.
    10. Zachary Bleemer & Aashish Mehta, 2024. "College Major Restrictions and Student Stratification," CESifo Working Paper Series 11601, CESifo.
    11. Castagnetti, Alessandro & Schmacker, Renke, 2022. "Protecting the ego: Motivated information selection and updating," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    12. Novik, Vitaliy, 2022. "The role of learning in returns to college major: evidence from 2.8 million reviews of 150,000 professors," MPRA Paper 115431, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Ferreyra,Maria Marta & Garriga,Carlos & Martin,Juan David & Sanchez Diaz,Angelica Maria, 2020. "Raising College Access and Completion : How Much Can Free College Help ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9428, The World Bank.
    14. Ferreyra, Maria Marta & Garriga, Carlos & Martin-Ocampo, Juan David & Sanchez-Diaz, Angelica Maria, 2024. "The limited impact of free college policies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    15. Jiang, Xuan, 2021. "Women in STEM: Ability, preference, and value," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    16. Arpita Patnaik & Matthew J. Wiswall & Basit Zafar, 2020. "College Majors," NBER Working Papers 27645, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    17. Engin Karadag & Ibrahim Taylan Dortyol, 2024. "Evidence of grade inflation in bachelor of business administration degrees in Turkey for the period from 2002 to 2022," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • 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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