Raising the threshold for academic dismissal: can it reduce procrastination?

This paper uses a large sample of students from a Dutch research university to measure the effect of variations in the stringency of academic dismissal policies on academic performance. The research setting includes two moments in which the performance threshold for academic dismissal has been changed, keeping constant most other characteristics of the educational system. Our results show that a higher threshold level increases the number of credits that students earn. This effect is strongest for the weakest students. A higher threshold level also brings student effort forward in time, as evidenced by a decrease in the number of no-shows and an increase in the number of credits earned during regular exams. We also show that some students perceive the minimum performance level as a target level. The evidence suggests that variations in the implementation of academic dismissal policies affect students’ tendency to procrastinate, especially among weaker students.