Research

As a learning organization, our projects have embedded randomized evaluation designs. These designs have allowed to evaluate and generate rigorous evidence of the impact of those interventions through our affiliated researchers and academic advisors.

The resulting papers have been published in prestigious journals.

Follow the links to learn more.

Smart Matching Platforms and school choice: Chile and New Haven

In centralized school choice, beliefs about admissions chances influence applicant choices. Live feedback in "smart matching platforms" helps applicants search effectively. Research in Chile and New Haven shows live feedback reduces nonplacement risk by 58% and enhances access to schools that have higher test scores by 0.10 SD.

Authors: Felipe Arteaga, Adam J Kapor, Christopher A Neilson, Seth D Zimmerman

Application Mistakes in College Admissions: Chile

An intervention to address application mistakes was implemented in the centralized college admissions system in Chile, which provided personalized information about admission probabilities. As a result, there was a significant reduction in non-assignement risk, and application mistakes decreased for students. The intervention demonstrated the impact of information frictions on the performance of centralized college admissions systems.

Authors: Anaïs Fabre, Tomás Larroucau, Manuel Martinez, Christopher Neilson, Ignacio Rios

Gender gaps in STEM: Chile

An RCT intervention that gave information to high-performing students on their performance relative to other students. The results show that women and men were affected differently by the intervention: effects for women with high self-confidence are higher than the effects for men in the same group. For high-performing women who have low self-confidence in their math ability, the probability that they apply to any major increases and the selectivity of their choice of major-university also increases.

Authors: Fernanda Ramirez-Espinoza

Guide to implement Centralized School Admision System

Governments expand the use of centralized student assignment systems to solve the problems in traditional enrollment and to make them more transparent, efficient, and equitable. The guide presents steps to do this. 1) diagnosis and planning; 2) general definitions; 3) platform development; and 4) information interventions and communication campaigns. A fifth phase is added to evaluate and improve the system.

Authors: Gregory Elacqua, Sammara Soares , Carolina Méndez, Alonso Román, Isabel Jacas, Thomas Krussig, Christopher Neilson

Quantifying benefits of centralized school admissions

Traditional decentralized school assignment systems are inefficient and lack transparency. Centralized digital systems offer efficiency, cost-effectiveness, monitoring, transparency, and planning tools. An estimation shows that, in Chile, implementing digital centralization could result in a net impact of USD 13.1 Million, considering implementation costs, transition savings, and efficiency gains, confirming its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (available in Spanish and Portuguese).

Authors: Antonia Aguilera, Gregory Elacqua, Josefina Lavin, Juan Francisco Margitic, Christopher Neilson

Smart Matching for Teachers: Ecuador

This paper explores the impact of personalized information interventions in Ecuador's centralized teacher assignment system. A warning about non-assignment risk and achievable teaching position recommendations significantly influenced teacher applications, increasing the likelihood of securing an assignment. The intervention also boosted overall assignment rates and selection scores, indicating its potential applicability in other contexts.

Authors: Gregory Elacqua, Leidy Gómez, Thomas Krussig, Luana Marotta, Carolina Méndez, Christopher Neilson

Household preferences in school choice: Ecuador

In Ecuador, the study compares school assignment systems based solely on minimizing distance to one incorporating household preferences (DA algorithm). Analyzing administrative data and a mechanism change in 2021, it finds significant welfare gains when considering applicant preferences. Counterfactual scenarios show minimal differences between assignment methods, supported by survey data on household beliefs and satisfaction, suggesting substantial welfare impacts in developing countries.

Authors: Gregory Elacqua, Isabel Jacas, Thomas Krussig, Carolina Méndez, Christopher Neilson

Information and School Search: Perú and Ecuador

This study in Peru and Ecuador assesses the impact of personalized information on elementary school choice. In Peru, feedback on placement risk and school suggestions led to applicants adding more schools and favoring recommended ones. Ecuador, with less outreach and lower school density, showed marginal effects. WhatsApp "warning" played a role in differing outcomes.

Authors: Gregory Elacqua, Thomas Krussig, Carolina Méndez, Christopher Neilson

Nudges to incentivize full-time schools: Brazil

The state of Pernambuco, Brazil, aims to increase enrollment of economically disadvantaged students in full-time schools. A pilot centralized school admission program with BID introduced informative interventions, positively impacting application rates, indicating students considered more options due to increased exposure to school offerings (available in Portuguese only).

Authors: Gregory Elacqua, Isabel Jacas, Thomas Krussig, Carolina Méndez, Christopher Neilson

Literature that supports our work

Prior research endeavors have demonstrated the efficacy of informational interventions as impactful public policy initiatives. The papers in which ConsiliumBot's founder -Christopher Neilson- participated played a crucial role in inspiring the creation of ConsiliumBots.

Heterogeneous beliefs and School Choice: New Haven

This study examines how centralized school choice and participants' beliefs impact welfare outcomes. Beliefs often deviate from rational expectations, affecting choices. Analyzing belief errors, it finds that switching to a truthful reporting in a DA mechanism enhances welfare, contrary to an assumption of accurate beliefs.

Authors: Adam J. Kapor, Christopher A. Neilson, Seth D. Zimmerman

Informed School Choice: Chile

This paper examines the impact of an information intervention in Chile's primary education market. The intervention shifted parent choices towards higher-quality, more distant schools. Student achievement improved by 0.2 SD five years after the intervention.

Authors: Christopher Neilson, Claudia Allende, Francisco Gallego

Research affiliates

Our affiliated researchers are a group of young professionals with expertise in behavioral economics and research, government and educational agency partnerships, IT and product development, as well as program implementation.

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Meet our team

The opportunities of being a research affiliate at Consiliumbots

Receive support in implementing technology-related research projects aligned with ConsiliumBots' mission and vision.

Engage in ongoing ConsiliumBots projects, directly interacting with policymakers, real social issues, and fellow researchers within the affiliate network.

Contribute to research and potential publications associated with ConsiliumBots' projects.

Establish direct contact with the ConsiliumBots team and benefit from their experiences and past research projects

Interested in joining us?