A field evaluation of a matching mechanism: University applicant behavior in Australia.

ABSTRACT: The majority of undergraduate university applications in the state of New South Wales-Australia's largest state-are processed by a clearinghouse, the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Applicants submit an ordered list of degrees to the UAC, which applies a matching algorithm to allocate university places to eligible applicants. Applicants receive advice on how to construct their degree preference list from multiple sources including individual universities. This advice is often confusing and misleading. To evaluate the performance of the current system, we run a large sample (832 observations) online experiment with experienced participants in a choice environment that mimics the UAC application process, and in which truth telling is optimal. We vary the advice received across treatmen

SUBMITTER: Guillen P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9802117 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature