Working Paper: NBER ID: w18530
Authors: Maria D. Fitzpatrick; Damon Jones
Abstract: We present new evidence on the effects of merit aid scholarship programs on residential migration and educational attainment using Census data on 24 to 32 year olds in the U.S. from 1990 to 2010. Eligibility for merit aid programs slightly increases the propensity of state natives to live in-state, while also extending in-state enrollment into the late twenties. These patterns notwithstanding, the magnitude of merit aid effects is of an order of magnitude smaller than the population treated, suggesting that nearly all of the spending on these programs is transferred to individuals who do not alter educational or migration behavior.
Keywords: merit aid; scholarships; migration; educational attainment
JEL Codes: H7; I2; R23
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Eligibility for merit aid programs (I22) | Probability that state natives aged 24 to 32 live in their state of birth (J19) |
| Eligibility for merit aid programs (I22) | Likelihood of ever attending college (D29) |
| Eligibility for merit aid programs (I22) | Likelihood of receiving a bachelor's degree (I23) |
| Eligibility for merit aid programs (I22) | Likelihood of currently enrolled in college without having yet obtained a BA degree (D29) |
| Eligibility for merit aid programs (I22) | Higher enrollment at in-state institutions (I23) |