Preference-Choice Mismatch and University Dropout

Arbeitspapier

Drawing on data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), we show that students who select majors that do not match their occupational preferences prior to enrolling in university are more likely to drop out than those who do choose majors that match their occupational preferences. Our findings suggest that this gap cannot be explained by institutional obstacles to entering a major. Instead, the primary mechanisms behind this phenomenon are indecisiveness and preference changes.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 16215

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
• Subject: dropout ; preferences ; mismatch ; tertiary education

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Fouarge, Didier ; Heß, Pascal
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2023

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/278913
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET