Post date: Jan 15, 2013 4:35:33 PM
A new paper on the impact of parental financial aid on student success is presented in the NY Times today:
The actual journal article is reachable through the UM Library here:
http://asr.sagepub.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/content/early/2013/01/03/0003122412472680.full.pdf+html
Here's the abstract:
"Evidence shows that parental financial investments increase college attendance, but we
know little about how these investments shape postsecondary achievement. Two theoretical
frameworks suggest diametric conclusions. Some studies operate from a more-is-more
perspective in which children use calculated parental allocations to make academic progress.
In contrast, a more-is-less perspective, rooted in a different model of rational behavior,
suggests that parental investments create a disincentive for student achievement. I adjudicate
between these frameworks, using data from nationally representative postsecondary datasets
to determine what effect financial parental investments have on student GPA and degree
completion. The findings suggest seemingly contradictory processes. Parental aid decreases
student GPA, but it increases the odds of graduating—net of explanatory variables and
accounting for alternative funding. Rather than strategically using resources in accordance
with parental goals, or maximizing on their ability to avoid academic work, students are
satisficing: they meet the criteria for adequacy on multiple fronts, rather than optimizing their
chances for a particular outcome. As a result, students with parental funding often perform
well enough to stay in school but dial down their academic efforts. I conclude by highlighting
the importance of life stage and institutional context for parental investment."
I haven't read the article in detail yet...
Cheers,
Tim