ERIC Number: EJ1213409
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-1546
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Experimental Estimates of Impacts of Cost-Earnings Information on Adult Aspirations for Children's Postsecondary Education
Cheng, Albert; Peterson, Paul E.
Journal of Higher Education, v90 n3 p486-511 2019
Economic information may close aspiration disparities for postsecondary education across socioeconomic, ethnic, and partisan divides. In 2017, we estimated impacts of information on such disparities by means of a survey experiment administered to a nationally representative sample of 4,214 adults. A baseline group was asked whether they preferred a 4-year degree, a 2-year degree, or no further education for their oldest child younger than the age of 18 years (or the option they would prefer if they had a child younger than 18 years). Before 3 other randomly selected segments of our sample were asked the same question, they were given either information about (a) both net costs and returns, (b) net costs, or (c) returns to a 2-year and 4-year degree. Information about both costs and returns did not reduce socioeconomic-status disparities but did affect ethnic and partisan divides. The findings suggest that reductions in socioeconomic inequalities in educational opportunity require more than simple changes in the dissemination of information aimed at altering economic cost-benefit calculations. Sustained effort that mitigates deeper-seated cultural and social barriers seems necessary.
Descriptors: Academic Aspiration, Parents, Postsecondary Education, Cost Effectiveness, Academic Degrees, Socioeconomic Status, Ethnicity, Racial Differences, College Choice, Social Influences, Cultural Influences, Low Income Groups, Political Influences, Parent Background, Educational Attainment, Family Income
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Postsecondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 0732233
Author Affiliations: N/A