# Why Finnish polytechnics reject top applicants

## TL;DR

This paper examines how the current centralized assignment system in Finnish polytechnics leads to top applicants remaining unassigned, and suggests that a different mechanism could improve admissions and reduce queues.

## Contribution

It reveals that the existing assignment process discourages top applicants and limits program admissions, proposing a mechanism to better match applicants with programs.

## Key findings

- Many top applicants remain unassigned annually.
- Current system discourages applications from top candidates.
- A new mechanism could reduce re-applications and queues.

## Abstract

I use a panel of higher education clearinghouse data to study the centralized assignment of applicants to Finnish polytechnics. I show that on a yearly basis, large numbers of top applicants unnecessarily remain unassigned to any program. There are programs which rejected applicants would find acceptable, but the assignment mechanism both discourages applicants from applying, and stops programs from admitting those who do. A mechanism which would admit each year's most eligible applicants has the potential to substantially reduce re-applications, thereby shortening the long queues into Finnish higher education.