Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/294785 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Citation: 
[Journal:] Sociology of Education [ISSN:] 1939-8573 [Volume:] 96 [Issue:] 4 [Publisher:] Sage [Place:] London [Year:] 2023 [Pages:] 344-366
Publisher: 
Sage, London
Abstract: 
This study illuminates the male advantage in test-based admissions to higher education. In contrast to many other countries, admission tests in Germany are optional, and test-free programs are available. This context offers a unique opportunity to investigate whether the male advantage in test-based admissions is caused by gender differences in test performance or in test participation. We use novel register data for the whole population of 300,000 applicants to highly selective and prestigious medical programs in Germany. We find that men perform better in tests and that female applicants are more likely to withdraw from admission tests. Both differences, however, depend on high school grade point average (GPA): The male advantage in test performance emerges only among test-takers with a lower GPA, and female applicants’ stronger test avoidance appears only among women with a medium GPA. Ultimately, both mechanisms contribute to a male advantage in test-based admissions (ceteris paribus of GPA), with better test performance being the major source for male applicants’ higher admission chances. As a consequence, we find the female advantage in school performance and the male advantage in test-based admissions almost neutralize each other.
Subjects: 
gender inequality
higher education
admission test
test participation
test performance
prestigious fields of study
medical schools
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Published Version

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