Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth in Their Transition Out of High School

Last registered on April 14, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth in Their Transition Out of High School
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0018332
Initial registration date
April 12, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 14, 2026, 9:33 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Brazil
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Maria Oaquim de Medeiros
Affiliation
Princeton University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Matheus Proença
PI Affiliation
Paris School of Economics
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PI Name
Beatriz Rache
PI Affiliation
University of California, Los Angeles
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PI Name
Vitor Pereira
PI Affiliation
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-04-13
End date
2028-12-31
Keywords
Education, Labor
Additional Keywords
Mentoring, Financial Literacy, School-to-Work Transition
JEL code(s)
I24, I26, J24, G53
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Cash Transfers directed to disadvantaged high school graduates can alleviate liquidity constraints, allowing them to search longer for a better job match or to use the transfer for additional educational investments. However, transfer gains may not reach their full transformative potential if the barriers shaping post-graduation decisions are multidimensional. Informational frictions on the returns to higher education programs and a lack of information on financial planning can lead to suboptimal investments that would be beneficial for students´ future careers. Students may also face behavioral frictions- such as low self-confidence and self-efficacy, present-bias and lack of aspirations, resulting in suboptimal job-search effort and educational/occupational choices. We plan to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a free mentorship program, and its combination with personalized financial coaching, can address non-pecuniary informational and behavioral constraints that shape their educational and labor market decisions and, ultimately, their career outcomes.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Oaquim de Medeiros, Maria et al. 2026. "Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth in Their Transition Out of High School ." AEA RCT Registry. April 14. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.18332-1.0
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We evaluate a free, online mentorship program for public high school students on educational and career outcomes.
Intervention Start Date
2026-05-04
Intervention End Date
2026-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
1- Career planning
2- Aspirations
3- Financial Literacy and Behavior
4- Predicted wage of chosen educational path
5- Enrollment in higher education
6- Wages
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
1. Career planning is measured using an index capturing the clarity of students’ education and career plans
2. Aspirations are measured through an index capturing educational and labor market goals.
3. Financial literacy and behavior are measured using an index based on responses to questions about budgeting, savings, and investments, reflecting financial literacy and planning capacity
4. Average earnings associated with the educational path chosen by the applicant
5. Enrollment in higher education is measured as an indicator of whether the student enrolls in any higher education program
6. Wages are measured as monthly labor earnings

We will exclude survey questions or index components if they present low variability in the control group.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
1- Self-beliefs
2- Expectations
3- Present Bias and Self-Control
4- Beliefs about returns to higher education
5- General consumption
6- Career/Educational Path satisfaction
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
1. Self-beliefs are measured using an index combining survey-based measures of self-confidence, self-efficacy, locus of control, and growth mindset
2. Expectations are measured through survey questions capturing educational and labor market expectations.
3. Present bias and self-control are measured using an index of time preferences over money
4. Beliefs about returns to higher education are measured using survey questions that elicit expected monthly earnings by educational attainment
5. General consumption is measured using self-reported expenditures across aggregated consumption categories
6. Career/Educational Path satisfaction is measured with a Likert scale survey question
We will exclude survey questions or index components if they present low variability in the control group.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Due to expected oversubscription, offers of participation are randomized among eligible applicants. The experimental design consists of three groups. Students assigned to the first treatment arm are offered four one-to-one mentoring sessions focused on educational and career decision-making. Students assigned to the second treatment arm are offered the same mentoring component, plus an additional one-to-one financial coaching session. Participants in the control group are not initially offered a mentorship spot.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization is conducted on a computer by the research team.
Randomization Unit
High school classes
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
Approximately 400 clusters (high school classes) in total.
Sample size: planned number of observations
We expect 400 eligible applicants per cohort, for a total sample of 1,600 across four cohorts.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
We expect 400 eligible applicants per cohort. Across four cohorts, this implies a total of 1,600 eligible applicants. Assuming equal assignment across the three study groups, the full sample will include approximately 800 students in the control group and 800 students in the pooled mentorship treatment group. For comparisons involving each specific treatment arm, we expect approximately 400 students in the mentorship-only arm and 400 students in the mentorship-plus-financial-coaching arm, with the control group comprising 800 students.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
We estimate Minimum Detectable Effects (MDEs) for selected final outcomes for which comparable baseline data are available and for which prior mentorship studies provide relevant benchmarks. MDEs are reported for both the pooled mentorship treatment and the combined mentorship and financial coaching treatment. The calculations account for the clustered design of the study, with randomization at the level of high school classes. We assume an average of 4 students per cluster and an intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.12. We further assume a take-up rate of 90% and zero attrition, given that the main outcomes are measured using administrative data. For higher education enrollment, the minimum detectable effect is 4.6 percentage points for the pooled treatment and 5.2 percentage points for the combined treatment. For formal wages, the minimum detectable effect is 0.18 standard deviations for the pooled treatment and 0.21 standard deviations for the combined treatment.
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Princeton
IRB Approval Date
2026-04-09
IRB Approval Number
19230
IRB Name
Paris School of Economics
IRB Approval Date
2026-04-09
IRB Approval Number
2026-024
Analysis Plan