Many studies have shown that individuals’ time preferences, i. e. the relative importance they give to the future compared to the present, are influenced by their socio-economic status. In particular, individuals from a disadvantaged background tend to give less relative importance to the future. These differences in time preferences have a number of consequences, not only for financial decisions, but also in the area of health, career paths and social interactions. In this study, we want to test whether students’ choices of higher education reflect their time preferences according to their socio-economic status. To do so, we will examine the dynamics of students’ choices in higher education. The APB database offers a unique opportunity to test this hypothesis as it measures both the characteristics of students’ and the dynamics of their choices.
