The Value of Choice

Dana Smith, Huiyi Chen () and Molly Brewer ()
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Huiyi Chen: James Madison University
Molly Brewer: College of the Holy Cross
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Moira Gidseg

No 2603, Working Papers from College of the Holy Cross, Department of Economics

Abstract: Following Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, many U.S. states adopted new abortion restrictions. Using IPEDS data and a difference-in-differences design comparing institutions in states that adopted bans with institutions in states that did not, we examine student enrollment, institutional responses, and faculty hiring. We find do not find evidence of average changes in women’s shares of undergraduate applicants or entering students. However, declines in women’s applicant, graduate enrollment,and tenure-track hiring shares are evident at more selective institutions compared to less selective schools,consistent with greater responsiveness among groups with broader choice sets. Evidence of compensating admissions practices or financial aid responses on the institution side is limited. Overall, the clearest changes in gender composition are concentrated in more selective markets.

Keywords: abortion policy; college choice; higher education; Dobbs; enrollment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 I26 J16 K38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 55 pages
Date: 2026-10-14
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Working Paper: The Value of Choice (2026)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hcx:wpaper:2603

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