Impact of Parental Investment on Educational Expectations and College Preparation of Low-Income Students

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Preparing for College

Abstract

There are wide gaps in college aspirations and attainment for low-income students. While many interventions focus on school-based interventions, the role of families should not be overlooked. This paper examines the impact of parental investment, or actions that parents take to boost their students’ academic preparation or their own financial preparation to support postsecondary study, on students’ aspirations and decisions to engage in college preparatory behaviors. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Survey (HSLS:09), I estimate the impact of various types of parental investment on student aspirations and college preparation using logistic regression, propensity score matching, and interactions. The results suggest that parental investment may impact low-income student aspirations and college preparatory behaviors. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Author

• Jenna Weber Kramer, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College