RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Value of a Higher ACT Exam Score
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 0922-12537R2
DO 10.3368/jhr.0922-12537R2
A1 Haggag, Kareem
A1 Leslie, Emily
A1 Pope, Devin
A1 Pope, Nolan
YR 2024
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2024/11/04/jhr.0922-12537R2.abstract
AB Entrance exams are an integral aspect of the college admissions process. We use rounding in ACT composite exam scores to identify the causal effect of receiving a higher score. Using data for over 3 million test takers, we estimate that “randomly” receiving one extra point on the ACT leads to a 0.44 percentage point increase in the probability of attending a 4-year college. Our results have implications for the importance of entrance exams in the admissions process, the value of test preparation and retaking, and the inequities that can be created by unequal access to test prep and resources.