Is Living in an Education Desert Related to Students' College Application and Enrollment Decisions?

• In Event: 66.088 - Sheraton Roundtable 13 - Osgoode Ballroom
  In Roundtable Session: 66.088-4 - Expanding the Conversation on College Choice

Abstract

We investigate whether students who live in education deserts apply to and enroll in different colleges than students who do not. We are particularly interested in education deserts defined first by whether students have access to open-access, public college options and second by whether students have access to an academically-matched institution. We use nationally representative data on students’ application and enrollment decisions and find that students in the first kind of desert are more likely to look beyond their local college options, while students who do not have an academic match nearby are less likely to apply to matches at all.

Authors

• Daniel Klasik, The George Washington University

• Kristin Blagg, The George Washington University

• Zachary Pekor, The George Washington University