Structuring Economic Opportunity for College Success: Estimating the Causal Effects of Work-Study on College Outcomes

• In Event: Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Federal Aid Programming Effects: Fees, Work Study, and Loan Default

Abstract

The analyses reported here used the 2003-04 cohort of the Beginning Postsecondary Student (BPS) survey and National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS) data. Students were followed through to the 2006 panel survey to study the causal relationship of Work-Study program participation on persistence and graduation outcomes. Using Generalized Boosted Regression to create propensity scores that were then used in generating matched groups of all Work-Study participants and nonparticipants, the results here suggest that participation in Work-Study increases the probability a student, regardless of race/ethnicity, will persist through graduation at the postsecondary level, net of all observed potential confounding characteristics. Additionally, results by race/ethnicity will ensue. These preliminary results have some important implications for policy and practice as will be discussed.

Authors

• Pedro Villarreal III, University of Florida

• Abebayehu Aemero Tekleselassie, The George Washington University