Removing barriers to higher education : the role of information and stereotypes on performance and enrollment outcomes.

Summary This thesis explores the extent to which imperfect information and the prevalence of stereotypes act as barriers to high school students' academic success and their pursuit of higher education. The work conducted in this thesis is organized around three objectives. The first is to document the existence of such barriers in the French context. Using survey data as well as unpublished administrative data, this work takes stock of the prevalence of gender stereotypes and those associated with science among high school students and teachers of mathematics in the final year of science school (Chapters 1 and 3). The second objective is to measure the impact of these barriers on students' academic performance and on their choice of career path and enrollment in higher education. In Chapter 3, we study the influence of gendered academic assessments of mathematics teachers on these dimensions for science high school seniors. The final objective of this thesis is to evaluate measures to combat these barriers. Chapter 2 evaluates the Active Orientation policy implemented between 2009 and 2017, which aimed to remedy the lack of information students had when formulating their orientation wishes. Chapter 1 estimates the impact of the For Girls in Science program, a short classroom intervention by a female scientist, which aims to deconstruct stereotypes and spark interest in science careers among students, especially young high school girls.