Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UWP

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Human Resources
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Human Resources

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
  • Follow JHR on Bluesky
Research ArticleArticle

Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores

Christopher Avery, Oded Gurantz, Michael Hurwitz and Jonathan Smith
Published online before print May 02, 2017, 1016-8293R; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.53.4.1016-8293R
Christopher Avery
Christopher Avery () is Roy E. Larsen Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. Oded Gurantz () is an Institute of Education Sciences fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Michael Hurwitz () is senior director at the College Board. Jonathan Smith () is an assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Oded Gurantz
Christopher Avery () is Roy E. Larsen Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. Oded Gurantz () is an Institute of Education Sciences fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Michael Hurwitz () is senior director at the College Board. Jonathan Smith () is an assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Michael Hurwitz
Christopher Avery () is Roy E. Larsen Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. Oded Gurantz () is an Institute of Education Sciences fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Michael Hurwitz () is senior director at the College Board. Jonathan Smith () is an assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Jonathan Smith
Christopher Avery () is Roy E. Larsen Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School. Oded Gurantz () is an Institute of Education Sciences fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Michael Hurwitz () is senior director at the College Board. Jonathan Smith () is an assistant professor of economics at Georgia State University.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Do signals of high aptitude shape the course of collegiate study? We apply a regression discontinuity design to understand how college major choice is impacted by receiving a higher Advanced Placement (AP) integer score, despite similar exam performance, compared to students who received a lower integer score. Attaining higher scores increases the probability that a student majors in that exam subject by approximately 5 percent (0.64 percentage points) with some individual exams demonstrating increases as high as 30 percent. A substantial portion of the overall effect is driven by behavioral responses to the positive signal of receiving a higher score.

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
Next
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Human Resources.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Human Resources
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Human Resources web site.
Citation Tools
Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores
Christopher Avery, Oded Gurantz, Michael Hurwitz, Jonathan Smith
Journal of Human Resources May 2017, 1016-8293R; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.53.4.1016-8293R

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Exam Scores
Christopher Avery, Oded Gurantz, Michael Hurwitz, Jonathan Smith
Journal of Human Resources May 2017, 1016-8293R; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.53.4.1016-8293R
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • The Value of a Higher ACT Exam Score
  • Parental Education and the Responses to Higher SAT Scores
  • High-Stakes Grades and Student Behavior
  • The Effect of Advanced Placement Science on Students Skills, Confidence, and Stress
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Prescription Opioids and Labor Market Pains
  • Careers and Mismatch for College Graduates
  • The Impact of Prior Learning Assessments on College Completion and Financial Outcomes
Show more Article

Similar Articles

UW Press logo

© 2025 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire