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Closing the Gap: The Effect of a Targeted, Tuition-Free Promise on College Choices of High-Achieving, Low-Income Students

Year: 2018
Type: report
Abstract: High-achieving, low-income students attend selective colleges at far lower rates than upperincome students with similar achievement.Behavioral biases, intensified by complexity and uncertainty in the admissions and aid process, may explain this gap.In a large-scale experiment we test an early commitment of free tuition at a flagship university.The intervention did not increase aid: rather, students were guaranteed before application the same grant aid that they would qualify for in expectation after admission.The offer substantially increased application (68 percent vs 26 percent) and enrollment rates (27 percent vs 12 percent).The results suggest that uncertainty, present bias, and loss aversion loom large in students' college decisions.
DOI: 10.3386/w25349
Institutions: Boston University, Northwestern University, National Bureau of Economic Research, College Board, Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, Syracuse University, Stanford University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Open Access status: green
Funders: U.S. Department of Education, Smith Richardson Foundation, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, Michigan Department of Education, Syracuse University, University of Michigan, Arnold Ventures, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Institute of Education Sciences
OpenAlex ID: W2904567307
Cites: 66
Cited by: 105
Related to: 10