Journal of Labor Economics Vol. 34 No. 4 2016
Looking beyond Enrollment: The Causal Effect of Need-Based Grants on College Access, Persistence, and Graduation
Abstract
The government has attempted to ameliorate gaps in college access and success by providing need-based grants, but little evidence exists on the long-term impacts of such aid. We examine the effects of the Florida Student Access Grant (FSAG) using a regression-discontinuity strategy and exploiting the cut-off used to determine eligibility. We find that grant eligibility had a positive effect on attendance, particularly at public 4-year institutions. Moreover, FSAG increased the rate of credit accumulation and bachelor’s degree completion within 6 years, with a 22% increase for students near the eligibility cut-off. The effects are robust to sensitivity analysis.
- DOI
- 10.1086/686643
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1023-1073
- Language
- en
- Sources
- openalex crossref