Ricardo Estrada
@ricardoestradam.bsky.social
Research economist at CAF- development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
https://sites.google.com/site/ricardoaestradamartinez/
https://sites.google.com/site/ricardoaestradamartinez/
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See full paper in:
📄 Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/ej/u...
See full paper in:
📄 Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/ej/u...
Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru
Abstract. We study how the admission of an older schoolmate to an elite secondary school influences the application decisions and admission outcomes of you
doi.org
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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See full paper in:
📄 Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/ej/u...
See full paper in:
📄 Learning About Opportunity: Spillovers of Elite School Admissions in Peru
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/ej/u...
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🎯 Policy takeaway:
Educational inequality is also about visibility and expectations.
Supporting access means more than opening doors—it means making sure students can see someone like them walk through.
🎯 Policy takeaway:
Educational inequality is also about visibility and expectations.
Supporting access means more than opening doors—it means making sure students can see someone like them walk through.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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🎯 Policy takeaway:
Educational inequality is also about visibility and expectations.
Supporting access means more than opening doors—it means making sure students can see someone like them walk through.
🎯 Policy takeaway:
Educational inequality is also about visibility and expectations.
Supporting access means more than opening doors—it means making sure students can see someone like them walk through.
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But barriers remain.
More low-SES students apply—but they’re still less likely to be admitted.
→ Academic gaps and indirect costs (e.g. distance, transportation) continue to constrain access.
But barriers remain.
More low-SES students apply—but they’re still less likely to be admitted.
→ Academic gaps and indirect costs (e.g. distance, transportation) continue to constrain access.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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But barriers remain.
More low-SES students apply—but they’re still less likely to be admitted.
→ Academic gaps and indirect costs (e.g. distance, transportation) continue to constrain access.
But barriers remain.
More low-SES students apply—but they’re still less likely to be admitted.
→ Academic gaps and indirect costs (e.g. distance, transportation) continue to constrain access.
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Effects are strongest when:
• Older student had strong academic results
• COAR school is geographically close
• School of origin is small
→ All consistent with social learning
Design and context make it unlikely learning specific details about admissions process is driving results.
Effects are strongest when:
• Older student had strong academic results
• COAR school is geographically close
• School of origin is small
→ All consistent with social learning
Design and context make it unlikely learning specific details about admissions process is driving results.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
5/
Effects are strongest when:
• Older student had strong academic results
• COAR school is geographically close
• School of origin is small
→ All consistent with social learning
Design and context make it unlikely learning specific details about admissions process is driving results.
Effects are strongest when:
• Older student had strong academic results
• COAR school is geographically close
• School of origin is small
→ All consistent with social learning
Design and context make it unlikely learning specific details about admissions process is driving results.
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The effects on demand are large:
✅ +17% more applications the following year
🧑🎓 Driven by low-SES students
We find evidence that older schoolmates serve as a source of information and role models—especially for disadvantaged students.
The effects on demand are large:
✅ +17% more applications the following year
🧑🎓 Driven by low-SES students
We find evidence that older schoolmates serve as a source of information and role models—especially for disadvantaged students.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
4/
The effects on demand are large:
✅ +17% more applications the following year
🧑🎓 Driven by low-SES students
We find evidence that older schoolmates serve as a source of information and role models—especially for disadvantaged students.
The effects on demand are large:
✅ +17% more applications the following year
🧑🎓 Driven by low-SES students
We find evidence that older schoolmates serve as a source of information and role models—especially for disadvantaged students.
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Can the experience of an older schoolmate change that?
We use a regression discontinuity design:
Compare schools where the top student just made it into COAR vs. just missed.
→ Isolated variation in exposure to a successful peer
→ Measure effects on the next cohort
Can the experience of an older schoolmate change that?
We use a regression discontinuity design:
Compare schools where the top student just made it into COAR vs. just missed.
→ Isolated variation in exposure to a successful peer
→ Measure effects on the next cohort
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
3/
Can the experience of an older schoolmate change that?
We use a regression discontinuity design:
Compare schools where the top student just made it into COAR vs. just missed.
→ Isolated variation in exposure to a successful peer
→ Measure effects on the next cohort
Can the experience of an older schoolmate change that?
We use a regression discontinuity design:
Compare schools where the top student just made it into COAR vs. just missed.
→ Isolated variation in exposure to a successful peer
→ Measure effects on the next cohort
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We study COAR, a network of highly selective public boarding schools in Peru:
🏫 Free, full-time, residential
🎯 Targeted at top students from public schools
Yet: low-SES students apply less, even when eligible.
We study COAR, a network of highly selective public boarding schools in Peru:
🏫 Free, full-time, residential
🎯 Targeted at top students from public schools
Yet: low-SES students apply less, even when eligible.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
2/
We study COAR, a network of highly selective public boarding schools in Peru:
🏫 Free, full-time, residential
🎯 Targeted at top students from public schools
Yet: low-SES students apply less, even when eligible.
We study COAR, a network of highly selective public boarding schools in Peru:
🏫 Free, full-time, residential
🎯 Targeted at top students from public schools
Yet: low-SES students apply less, even when eligible.
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Elite schools aim to level the playing field for high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
But information gaps and low perceived fit still limit applications—even when these schools are free.
Elite schools aim to level the playing field for high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
But information gaps and low perceived fit still limit applications—even when these schools are free.
May 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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Elite schools aim to level the playing field for high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
But information gaps and low perceived fit still limit applications—even when these schools are free.
Elite schools aim to level the playing field for high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
But information gaps and low perceived fit still limit applications—even when these schools are free.