My research examines how institutional design shapes educational opportunity. I study how policies, information, and organizational decisions influence educational and labor market outcomes using experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed methods. While my work spans higher education, vocational education and training, and labor market policy, the common thread is understanding how institutions influence individual decision-making and long-run outcomes.
Current Projects
Unequal and Persistent Effects of Student Loan Policy: Evidence from Parent PLUS Reforms
with Alex Monday
Status: Working paper (available here)
Why do uniform federal policies produce unequal effects across colleges? Using U.S. college data from 2006–2023, we study two reforms to the Parent PLUS loan program and show that institutions with greater financial dependence on the program (specifically, Historically Black Colleges and Universities) experienced larger enrollment losses after a tightening of federal credit standards. Even after the policy was reversed, enrollment did not fully recover, suggesting that temporary policy changes can have lasting institutional consequences.
Fast Track to Success? A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Condensed Course Formats at Tennessee Community Colleges
with Kaylee T. Matheny, Gus Gluek, Rachel Baker, Eric Bettinger, Alex Monday, and Hidahis Mesa
Status: Revise and resubmit, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (working paper and replication package available)
How does shortening college courses affect student success? This paper evaluates Tennessee’s transition from traditional 15-week semesters to condensed course formats using statewide administrative data and interviews with students, faculty, and staff. We find that condensed courses substantially improve course completion, grades, and withdrawal rates while also revealing important tradeoffs related to student stress, knowledge retention, and opportunities to build relationships with instructors and peers.
Choice Architecture in Occupational Choices
with Enzo Brox, Patricia Palffy, Claudio Schilter, and Uschi Backes-Gellner
Status: Working paper (available here)
How does online choice architecture influence career decisions? Using quasi-experimental variation on Switzerland’s largest apprenticeship platform (Yousty), we examine how the ranking and presentation of occupational recommendations affect search and application behavior. We find that relatively small design choices substantially influence which occupations young people explore and pursue, demonstrating how digital platforms shape education-to-work transitions.
The Effect of Postsecondary Educational Institutions on Local Economies: A Bird’s-Eye View
with Patrick Lehnert, Uschi Backes-Gellner, and Eric Bettinger
Status: Under review (working paper available)
Do colleges stimulate local economic development? We combine newly assembled data on public branch campus openings with satellite-based measures of economic activity to estimate the local effects of expanding higher education. We find that new campuses increase local economic activity, educational attainment, and employment in fields aligned with newly offered programs, providing evidence that investments in higher education strengthen regional economies.