Applied Micro Seminar - Santiago Perez (UC Davis)

Title: Who Benefits from Meritocracy

Abstract: Does selecting individuals using competitive exams help or hurt the chances of disadvantaged children? While children from poorer backgrounds might be less prepared to excel in these exams, exams could also decrease the importance of connections and reduce bias. We study the 1883 Pendleton Act, which introduced competitive exams for selecting some federal employees. Using a difference-in-differences comparing workers in exempted and non-exempted positions, we find that the reform increased the representation of middle-class children. However, this increase was driven by less representation among the children of the poor, with no change among the rich. The reform brought "educated outsiders" to government jobs, but it did not help underprivileged children.

Zoom details:
https://unimelb.zoom.us/j/86553137760?pwd=c0lnRWNuQ0pxUDQ2Ri9yb2htVjVvQT09
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