Does the Provision of Information on their Skills Affect Students' Enrollment Choices?

Résumé

This study assesses the impact of a French educational policy reform aimed at improving the match between students and their chosen field of study at university. As part of this reform, upon applying for entry to an undergraduate degree course, students are informed about their likelhood of succeeding given their observed skills. To examine the effect of the feedback they receive on students' choices, we compare students applying to different departments within the same university, some implementing the policy, providing candidates with feedback, whereas others do not. We find among those receiving a negative feedback that the proportion of students who decide to register for the degree course in question is reduced by about 7 percentage points but marginally significant at 10 percent level. Effects are heterogeneous according to students' origin and the type of high school they attended.