This article examines the impact of a workplace education program at two companies (one in the manufacturing sector, the other in the service sector). We examine a broad range of outcome variables, including earnings, turnover, performance awards, job attendance, and subjective performance measures. We estimate a small, positive impact of the program on earnings at the manufacturing company but an insignificant impact at the service company. Trainees were equally likely to exit the company as nontrainees. We also find that the training had a positive association with the incidence of job bids, upgrades, performance awards, and job attendance.

We study the effects of a change in financial aid policy introduced by an anonymous university in 1998. Prior to that time, the university's financial aid packages for low-income students consisted of grants, loans, and campus jobs. After the change, the entire loan portion of the package for low-income students was replaced with grants. We find the program increased the likelihood of matriculation by low-income students by approximately 3 percentage points, although the effect is not statistically significant. The effect among low-income minority students was between 8 and 10 percentage points and statistically significant at the 10% level.

We study the effects of a change in financial aid policy introduced by a Northeastern university in 1998. Prior to that time, the university s financial aid packages for low income students consisted of grants, loans, and campus jobs. After the change, the entire loan portion of the package for low-income students was replaced with grants. We find the program increased the likelihood of matriculation by low-income students by about 3 percentage points, although the effect is not statistically significant. The effect among low-income minority students was about twice that size and statistically significant at the 10 percent level.

The paper examines labor-market returns to a two- and four-year college education. Analysis of the 1972 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth; Observation that the average person who attended a two-year college earned about 10-percent more than those without any college education; Comparison with the wages of those who attended a four-year college education.

We evaluate the effect of performance-based incentive programs on educational outcomes for community college students from a random assignment experiment at three campuses. Incentive payments over 2 semesters were tied to meeting two conditions—enrolling at least half-time and maintaining a C or better grade point average. Eligibility increased the likelihood of enrolling in the second semester after random assignment and total number of credits earned. Over 2 years, program group students completed nearly 40% more credits. We find little evidence that program eligibility changed types of courses taken but some evidence of increased academic performance and effort.