The Returns to College Persistence for Marginal Students: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from University Dismissal Policies

Arbeitspapier

We estimate the returns to college using administrative data on college enrollment matched to administrative data on weekly earnings. Utilizing the fact that colleges dismiss low-performing students based on exact GPA cutoffs, we use a regression discontinuity design to estimate the earnings impacts of college. Dismissed students are permitted to apply for readmission, but since relatively few do so, these students end up completing fewer years of school and are approximately 10 percentage points less likely to graduate college. Our estimates suggest that low-performing students (on the margin of college dismissal) derive substantial earnings benefits from college.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 9799

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Analysis of Education ; Higher Education; Research Institutions ; Returns to Education
• Subject: academic probation ; returns to college ; regression discontinuity

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Ost, Ben ; Pan, Weixiang ; Webber, Douglas A.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2016

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/141558
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET