Raising Aspirations and Higher Education: Evidence from the United Kingdom's Widening Participation Policy

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Rizzica, Lucia
• 署名单位: European Central Bank; Bank of Italy
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0734-306X
• DOI: 10.1086/704571
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 183-214
• 关键词: college access; student aid; INFORMATION; IMPACT

摘要

This paper investigates the relationship between aspirations and inequality in higher education participation. Using a regression discontinuity design, I evaluate the impact of a national-scale United Kingdom policy aimed at raising the aspirations toward college education of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds by involving them in outreach activities. The results show that the policy successfully raised the aspirations of the target students and their participation in postcompulsory education. However, its final effect on college enrollment was on the whole negligible, thus casting doubt on the effectiveness of policies that uniquely leverage aspirations to reduce inequality in educational attainment.