Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-Based Grant Program

Gabrielle Fack and Julien Grenet

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2015, vol. 7, issue 2, 1-34

Abstract: Using comprehensive administrative data on France's single largest financial aid program, this paper provides new evidence on the impact of large-scale need-based grant programs on the college enrollment decisions, persistence, and graduation rates of low-income students. We exploit sharp discontinuities in the grant eligibility formula to identify the impact of aid on student outcomes at different levels of study. We find that the provision of 1,500 euros cash allowances to prospective undergraduate or graduate students increases their college enrollment rates by 5 to 7 percent. Moreover, we show that need-based grants have positive effects on student persistence and degree completion. (JEL H52, I22, I24, I28, J24)

JEL-codes: H52 I22 I24 I28 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20130423
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (70)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/app.20130423 (application/pdf)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/data/0702/2013-0423_data.zip (application/zip)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/ds/0702/2013-0423_ds.zip (application/zip)
http://www.aeaweb.org/aej/app/app/0702/2013-0423_app.pdf (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.

Related works:
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-Based Grant Program (2015)
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-Based Grant Program (2015)
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-Based Grant Program (2015)
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-based Grant Program (2013)
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-based Grant Program (2013)
Working Paper: Improving College Access and Success for Low-Income Students: Evidence from a Large Need-based Grant Program (2013)
Working Paper: Improving college access and success for low-income students: Evidence from a large need-based grant program (2013)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:7:y:2015:i:2:p:1-34

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/subscriptions

Access Statistics for this article

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics is currently edited by Alexandre Mas

More articles in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics from American Economic Association Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Michael P. Albert ().