How Did the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Affect Veteran Students' Undergraduate College Choices?

• In Event: The Complexities of Paying for College

Abstract

The Post-9/11 GI Bill made significant changes to the rules governing veterans’ education benefits. In this study, I use data from four waves of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 to examine the effect of the Post-9/11 GI Bill on veterans’ college choices. Most notably, veterans who have received federal education benefits have chosen to attend colleges in more expensive locations after the PGIB. Moreover, a greater proportion of veterans has chosen to attend private for-profit institutions instead of public institutions. Finally, the implementation of the PGIB has had no significant impact on choices in terms of institution level as measured by 4-year vs. 2-year colleges, Carnegie Classification, or program type.

Author

• Liang Zhang, New York University