ERIC Number: EJ1208359
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0276-8739
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Keeping College Options Open: A Field Experiment to Help All High School Seniors through the College Application Process
Oreopoulos, Philip; Ford, Reuben
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, v38 n2 p426-454 Spr 2019
Recent research suggests that the college application process itself prevents access. This paper reports results from a school-based experiment in which application assistance is incorporated into the high school curriculum for all graduating seniors at low-transition schools. Over three workshops, students were guided to pick programs of interest that they were eligible for, apply for real, and complete the financial aid application. The goal was to create a real college option for exiting students to make the transition easier and more salient. Among all graduating seniors, the program increased application rates by 15 percentage points, and college going rates by 5 percentage points. Among those not taking advanced-level courses, college enrollment increased by 9 percentage points. The program generated significant effects for a wide range of heterogeneous groups, including both males and females, those from urban and rural schools, and those with above and below average grades. While more intensive than other tested approaches, in-class application assistance may provide a more effective approach for bridging the gap towards higher education.
Descriptors: College Applicants, Barriers, High School Seniors, Workshops, Experiential Learning, Transitional Programs, College Attendance, Program Effectiveness, Enrollment, Skill Development
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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