Reducing Frictions in College Admissions: Evidence from the Common Application
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 14,
no. 1, February 2022
(pp. 179-206)
Abstract
College admissions in the United States are decentralized, creating frictions that limit student choice. We study the Common Application (CA) platform, under which students submit a single application to member schools, potentially reducing frictions and increasing student choice. The CA increases the number of applications received by schools, reflecting a reduction in frictions, and reduces the yield on accepted students, reflecting increased choice. The CA increases out-of-state enrollment, especially from other CA states, consistent with network effects. Entry into the CA changes the composition of students, with evidence of more racial diversity and more high-income students and imprecise evidence of increases in SAT scores.Citation
Knight, Brian, and Nathan Schiff. 2022. "Reducing Frictions in College Admissions: Evidence from the Common Application." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 14 (1): 179-206. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20190694Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
- I28 Education: Government Policy
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