Gender Gap in High-Stakes Exams: What Role for Exam Preparation?

In this paper, we show that gender gaps in performance observed in high-stakes exams, relative to low-stakes exams, are partially shaped by the context of exam preparation. We examine the role of exam preparation using data from French elite STEM higher education programs. First, we document a substantial gender gap in admissions to the most selective STEM graduate schools compared with slightly less selective institutions. Second, we provide causal evidence that the competitiveness of the learning environment during exam preparation affects the gender gap in performance in high-stakes exams. Our results further indicate that widening gender gaps in competitive learning environments primarily reflect disproportionate male gains rather than female underperformance. These findings have important implications for understanding the underrepresentation of women in elite programs and the gender pay gap among top STEM workers.