Details about Susan Dynarski

Access statistics for papers by Susan Dynarski.

Last updated 2025-01-01. Update your information in the RePEc Author Service.

Short-id: pdy1

Working Papers

2023

1. Lottery-Based Evaluations of Early Education Programs: Opportunities and Challenges for Building the Next Generation of Evidence
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (1)

2022

2. Addressing Non-Financial Barriers to College Access and Success: Evidence and Policy Implications
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (7)
3. College Costs, Financial Aid, and Student Decisions
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (7)
4. The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (1)
   See also Journal Article The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs, American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association (2023) View citations (1) (2023)

2020

5. Designed to Fail: Effects of the Default Option and Information Complexity on Student Loan Repayment
   Experimental Economics Center Working Paper Series, Experimental Economics Center, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University View citations (13)
   Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2018) View citations (9)
   See also Journal Article Designed to fail: Effects of the default option and information complexity on student loan repayment, Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier (2020) View citations (9) (2020)

2019

6. Dual-Credit Courses and the Road to College: Experimental Evidence from Tennessee
   IZA Discussion Papers, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
   See also Journal Article Dual‐Credit Courses and the Road to College: Experimental Evidence from Tennessee, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2020) View citations (1) (2020)
7. The US college loans system: lessons from Australia and England
   LSE Research Online Documents on Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library View citations (26)
   See also Journal Article The US college loans system: Lessons from Australia and England, Economics of Education Review, Elsevier (2019) View citations (29) (2019)

2018

8. Closing the Gap: The Effect of a Targeted, Tuition-Free Promise on College Choices of High-Achieving, Low-Income Students
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (44)
9. Estimating the Effects of a Large For-Profit Charter School Operator
   NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (9)
10. How Important Are Fixed Effects and Time Trends in Estimating Returns to Schooling? Evidence from a Replication of Jacobson, Lalonde and Sullivan, 2005
    IZA Discussion Papers, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) View citations (8)
    See also Journal Article How important are fixed effects and time trends in estimating returns to schooling? Evidence from a replication of Jacobson, Lalonde, and Sullivan, 2005, Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2018) View citations (8) (2018)
11. Reflections on the US College Loans System: Lessons from Australia and England
    IZA Discussion Papers, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) View citations (2)
    Also in CAMA Working Papers, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University (2018) View citations (2)
12. Reflections on the US College Loans System: Lessons from Australia and EnglandAbstract: There is wide agreement the US student loan system faces significant problems. Seven million borrowers are in default and many more experience non-repayment. The stress of repayments faced by many students results at least in part from the design of US student loans. Specifically, loans are organised like a mortgage, with fixed monthly repayments over a fixed period of time, creating a high repayment burden on borrowers with low income. This paper draws on the experience of the income-contingent loan (ICL) systems operating in England and Australia, in which monthly repayments are related to the borrower's monthly income. By design, those systems explicitly include insurance against problems of repayment during periods of low income. We discuss the design of this type of loan in detail since such an exercise seems to be largely absent in the US literature. Drawing on data from the US Current Population Survey (CPS) we provide two main empirical contributions. - A stylised illustration of the revenue and distributional implications of different hypothetical ICL arrangements for the USA; and - An illustration of repayment problems faced by low-earning borrowers in the US loan system, including a plausible example of adverse outcomes in the Stafford loan. Importantly, we compare repayment burdens under the existing and alternative systems. Our illustrations show how US mortgage-style loans can create financial difficulties for a significant minority of US borrowers, difficulties which a well-designed ICL has significant potential to address
    DoQSS Working Papers, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London

2016

13. Are Expectations Alone Enough? Estimating the Effect of a Mandatory College-Prep Curriculum in Michigan
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc
    Also in CESifo Working Paper Series, CESifo (2016)
14. Tax Benefits for College Attendance
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (6)
15. The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement
    Working Papers, eSocialSciences View citations (5)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2016) View citations (8)

2015

16. An Economist's Perspective on Student Loans in the United States
    CESifo Working Paper Series, CESifo View citations (2)

2013

17. Financial Aid Policy: Lessons from Research
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (96)
18. Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (18)
    See also Chapter Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, NBER Chapters, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2013) View citations (17) (2013)
    Journal Article Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, Tax Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press (2013) View citations (20) (2013)
19. Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter High School on College Preparation, Entry, and Choice
    CESifo Working Paper Series, CESifo View citations (5)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2013) View citations (23)
    See also Journal Article Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter High Schools on College Preparation, Entry, and Choice, Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press (2016) View citations (51) (2016)
20. The Missing Manual: Using National Student Clearinghouse Data to Track Postsecondary Outcomes
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (31)

2012

21. Student Aid Simplification: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (18)
    See also Journal Article Student Aid Simplification: Looking Back and Looking Ahead, National Tax Journal, National Tax Association (2012) View citations (20) (2012)

2011

22. Cheaper by the Dozen: Using Sibling Discounts at Catholic Schools to Estimate the Price Elasticity of Private School Attendance
    Working Papers, U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2009) View citations (15)
23. Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Postsecondary Attainment and Degree Completion
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (37)
    See also Journal Article Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Postsecondary Attainment and Degree Completion, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2013) View citations (53) (2013)
24. Gains and Gaps: Changing Inequality in U.S. College Entry and Completion
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (101)
25. Who Benefits from KIPP?
    IZA Discussion Papers, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) View citations (16)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2010) View citations (33)
    See also Journal Article Who Benefits from KIPP?, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (2012) View citations (60) (2012)

2009

26. Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters and Pilots
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (18)
    See also Journal Article Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters And Pilots, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College (2011) View citations (248) (2011)
27. Into College, Out of Poverty? Policies to Increase the Postsecondary Attainment of the Poor
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (112)

2008

28. Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (30)
    Also in Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (2008) View citations (30)
    See also Chapter Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis, NBER Chapters, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2008) View citations (24) (2008)
29. The Lengthening of Childhood
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (80)
    Also in New England Public Policy Center Working Paper, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (2008) View citations (72)
    See also Journal Article The Lengthening of Childhood, Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association (2008) View citations (80) (2008)

2007

30. College Grants on a Postcard: A Proposal for Simple and Predictable Federal Student Aid
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (7)

2006

31. The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid: Lessons from Optimal Tax Theory and Behavioral Economics
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (110)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2006) View citations (113)
    See also Journal Article The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid: Lessons From Optimal Tax Theory and Behavioral Economics, National Tax Journal, National Tax Association (2006) View citations (111) (2006)

2005

32. Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (21)
    Also in Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (2005) View citations (19)
    Working Papers, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Education Research Section. (2005) View citations (17)
    See also Journal Article Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor, Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press (2008) View citations (132) (2008)

2004

33. Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of 529 and Coverdell Savings Vehicles
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (4)
34. Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of the 529 and Coverdell Saving Incentives
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (4)
    See also Chapter Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of the 529 and Coverdell Saving Incentives, NBER Chapters, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2004) View citations (2) (2004)
35. The New Merit Aid
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (60)
    See also Chapter The New Merit Aid, NBER Chapters, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2004) View citations (60) (2004)
36. Who Benefits from the Education Saving Incentive? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (17)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2004) View citations (18)
    See also Journal Article Who Benefits From the Education Saving Incentives? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell, National Tax Journal, National Tax Association (2004) View citations (16) (2004)

2002

37. The Consequences of Merit Aid
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (18)
    Also in Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (2002) View citations (11)

2001

38. Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effect of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion
    Working Paper Series, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government View citations (12)
    Also in NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (1999) View citations (53)
    See also Journal Article Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effect of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion, American Economic Review, American Economic Association (2003) View citations (421) (2003)

2000

39. Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance
    NBER Working Papers, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc View citations (240)
    See also Journal Article Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance, National Tax Journal, National Tax Association (2000) View citations (254) (2000)

Journal Articles

2023

1. The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs
   American Economic Review: Insights, 2023, 5, (3), 293-310 View citations (1)
   See also Working Paper The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs, NBER Working Papers (2022) View citations (1) (2022)

2021

2. Closing the Gap: The Effect of Reducing Complexity and Uncertainty in College Pricing on the Choices of Low-Income Students
   American Economic Review, 2021, 111, (6), 1721-56 View citations (53)

2020

3. Designed to fail: Effects of the default option and information complexity on student loan repayment
   Journal of Public Economics, 2020, 192, (C) View citations (9)
   See also Working Paper Designed to Fail: Effects of the Default Option and Information Complexity on Student Loan Repayment, Experimental Economics Center Working Paper Series (2020) View citations (13) (2020)
4. Dual‐Credit Courses and the Road to College: Experimental Evidence from Tennessee
   Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2020, 39, (3), 686-719 View citations (1)
   See also Working Paper Dual-Credit Courses and the Road to College: Experimental Evidence from Tennessee, IZA Discussion Papers (2019) (2019)

2019

5. The US college loans system: Lessons from Australia and England
   Economics of Education Review, 2019, 71, (C), 32-48 View citations (29)
   See also Working Paper The US college loans system: lessons from Australia and England, LSE Research Online Documents on Economics (2019) View citations (26) (2019)

2018

6. How important are fixed effects and time trends in estimating returns to schooling? Evidence from a replication of Jacobson, Lalonde, and Sullivan, 2005
   Journal of Applied Econometrics, 2018, 33, (7), 1098-1108 View citations (8)
   See also Working Paper How Important Are Fixed Effects and Time Trends in Estimating Returns to Schooling? Evidence from a Replication of Jacobson, Lalonde and Sullivan, 2005, IZA Discussion Papers (2018) View citations (8) (2018)

2016

7. Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter High Schools on College Preparation, Entry, and Choice
   Journal of Labor Economics, 2016, 34, (2), 275 - 318 View citations (51)
   See also Working Paper Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter High School on College Preparation, Entry, and Choice, CESifo Working Paper Series (2013) View citations (5) (2013)

2013

8. Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Postsecondary Attainment and Degree Completion
   Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2013, 32, (4), 692-717 View citations (53)
   See also Working Paper Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Postsecondary Attainment and Degree Completion, NBER Working Papers (2011) View citations (37) (2011)
9. Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects
   Tax Policy and the Economy, 2013, 27, (1), 161 - 202 View citations (20)
   See also Working Paper Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, NBER Working Papers (2013) View citations (18) (2013)
   Chapter Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, NBER Chapters, 2013, 161-201 (2013) View citations (17) (2013)

2012

10. Student Aid Simplification: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
    National Tax Journal, 2012, 65, (1), 211-34 View citations (20)
    See also Working Paper Student Aid Simplification: Looking Back and Looking Ahead, NBER Working Papers (2012) View citations (18) (2012)
11. Who Benefits from KIPP?
    Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2012, 31, (4), 837-860 View citations (60)
    See also Working Paper Who Benefits from KIPP?, IZA Discussion Papers (2011) View citations (16) (2011)

2011

12. Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters And Pilots
    The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2011, 126, (2), 699-748 View citations (248)
    See also Working Paper Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters and Pilots, NBER Working Papers (2009) View citations (18) (2009)

2010

13. Inputs and Impacts in Charter Schools: KIPP Lynn
    American Economic Review, 2010, 100, (2), 239-43 View citations (95)

2008

14. Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor
    Journal of Human Resources, 2008, 43, (3), 576-610 View citations (132)
    See also Working Paper Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor, NBER Working Papers (2005) View citations (21) (2005)
15. The Lengthening of Childhood
    Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2008, 22, (3), 71-92 View citations (80)
    See also Working Paper The Lengthening of Childhood, NBER Working Papers (2008) View citations (80) (2008)

2006

16. The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid: Lessons From Optimal Tax Theory and Behavioral Economics
    National Tax Journal, 2006, 59, (2), 319-56 View citations (111)
    See also Working Paper The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid: Lessons from Optimal Tax Theory and Behavioral Economics, Working Paper Series (2006) View citations (110) (2006)

2004

17. Who Benefits From the Education Saving Incentives? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell
    National Tax Journal, 2004, 57, (2), 359-83 View citations (16)
    See also Working Paper Who Benefits from the Education Saving Incentive? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell, Working Paper Series (2004) View citations (17) (2004)

2003

18. Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effect of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion
    American Economic Review, 2003, 93, (1), 279-288 View citations (421)
    See also Working Paper Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effect of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion, Working Paper Series (2001) View citations (12) (2001)

2002

19. The Behavioral and Distributional Implications of Aid for College
    American Economic Review, 2002, 92, (2), 279-285 View citations (113)

2000

20. Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance
    National Tax Journal, 2000, 53, (3), 629-62 View citations (254)
    See also Working Paper Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance, NBER Working Papers (2000) View citations (240) (2000)

1997

21. Can Families Smooth Variable Earnings?
    Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 1997, 28, (1), 229-303 View citations (175)

Chapters

2013

1. Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects
   A chapter in Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 27, 2013, pp 161-201 View citations (17)
   See also Journal Article Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, University of Chicago Press (2013) View citations (20) (2013)
   Working Paper Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2013) View citations (18) (2013)

2010

2. College Aid
   A chapter in Targeting Investments in Children: Fighting Poverty When Resources Are Limited, 2010, pp 283-302 View citations (8)

2008

3. Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis
   A chapter in Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 22, 2008, pp 109-150 View citations (24)
   See also Working Paper Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2008) View citations (30) (2008)

2004

4. Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of the 529 and Coverdell Saving Incentives
   A chapter in Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 18, 2004, pp 81-116 View citations (2)
   See also Working Paper Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of the 529 and Coverdell Saving Incentives, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc (2004) View citations (4) (2004)
5. The New Merit Aid
   A chapter in College Choices: The Economics of Where to Go, When to Go, and How to Pay For It, 2004, pp 63-100 View citations (60)
   See also Working Paper The New Merit Aid, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (2004) View citations (60) (2004)