Innocuous Exam Features? The Impact of Answer Placement on High-Stakes Test Performance and College Admissions

Abstract

We exploit randomness in college entrance exams in Colombia to study how the placement of answers impacts multiple-choice test results and access to college. Using administrative data, we find that: first, applicants are 5% less likely to answer correctly when the correct answer is the last in the choice set (option D). And, second, that one SD higher share of correct answers in D in the math section reduces applicants’ overall performance and their preferred major admission rate by 3%. Considering lifelong college access implications, we show how seemingly innocuous exam features disproportionately affect unlucky test takers.