The Economics of Encouragement: Can A Simple Email Shape Major Choice?

We examine the impact of encouragement emails sent to high-performing students in a principles of microeconomics course at a large state university, aimed at motivating them to take additional economics courses and consider an economics major or minor. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find some evidence of an increase in the likelihood of enrolling in intermediate microeconomics, especially for first-generation college students and underrepresented minorities, but limited effects on major switching or declaring an economics minor. Our findings suggest sustained interventions may be necessary to produce lasting effects