College Enrollment and Mandatory FAFSA Applications: Evidence from Louisiana

Christa Deneault

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 465-94

Abstract: I estimate the impact of a Louisiana state policy that mandated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications as a high school graduation requirement. I find significant increases in FAFSA completion rates (19 percentage points), and my estimates imply an increase of 1–2 percentage points in college enrollment. There is suggestive evidence that these effects were more concentrated among lower-income students/schools, and merit-based state financial aid applications also increased. The design of this mandate implies that pushing students into action may be more effective than informational nudges and that localized support systems such as counselors are important for the success of a top-down policy.

JEL-codes: D91 H75 I21 I22 I23 I28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1257/pol.20210360

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