Their findings could be interesting for policymakers when developing policies aimed at influencing young people’s study choices. The paper Spillovers in fields of study: Siblings, cousins, and neighbors was written in collaboration with VU University Amsterdam researchers Nadine Ketel and Bas Van der Klaauw. It will be published in the October 2024 edition of the Journal of Public Economics.

Avdeev and Oosterbeek analysed extensive data on admissions lotteries used to place students in various popular fields of study. Examples of study programmes using admissions lotteries include medicine, veterinary care, dentistry, occupational therapy, business, international business, and tourism.

Important life choice

The researchers set out to investigate whether someone’s field of study influences the study choices of their younger peers. This is an important question because choosing a field of study in higher education is one of the most significant decisions a young person can make. Other research shows that this choice affects their chances in the labour market and even their marital prospects.

Potential impact on policy

An analysis of the data revealed the following findings:

• Younger siblings and cousins are strongly affected by the choice made by an older family member.
• Younger neighbours are also affected but to a smaller extent.
• A substantial part of the correlations in study choices between family members can be attributed to spillovers and are not due to shared environments.

2 other conclusions emerging from their study were that gender composition and parental income matter for spillover effects. Spillover effects are larger among same-sex siblings compared to opposite-sex siblings. There was also a greater spillover effect among siblings in families where the parental income was above the median. ‘Our findings concerning the spillover effects of gender composition and family income should be taken into consideration when designing policies. This way, we can avoid possible negative side effects regarding the diversity of the student body', says Avdeev.