Scholarly Research
The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs
Elizabeth Burland, Susan Dynarski, Katherine Michelmore, Stephanie Owen, and Shwetha Raghuraman. 2022.
Closing the Gap: The Effect of Reducing Complexity and Uncertainty in College Pricing on the Choices of Low-Income Students
Susan Dynarski, Katherine Michelmore, CJ Libassi, and Stephanie Owen. 2021. American Economic Review.
Cost-Effective Approaches to Improve Global Learning : What Does Recent Evidence Tell Us Are “Smart Buys” for Improving Learning in Low and Middle Income Countries?
Abhijit Banerjee, Sylvia Schmelkes, Kwame Akyeampong, Tahir Andrabi, Rukmini Banerji, Susan Dynarski, Rachel Glennerster, Sally Grantham-McGregor, Karthik Muralidharan, Ben PIper, Jaime Saavedra, Hirokazu Yoshikawa. 2021. The World Bank Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel.
Designed to Fail: Effects of the Default Option and Information Complexity on Student Loan Repayment
James C. Cox, Daniel Kreisman, and Susan Dynarski. 2020. Journal of Public Economics.
Dual-Credit Courses and the Road to College: Experimental Evidence from Tennessee
Steve Hemelt, Nathaniel Schwartz, and Susan Dynarski. 2019. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
The US College Loans System: Lessons from Australia and England
Nicholas Barr, Bruce Chapman, Lorraine Dearden, and Susan Dynarski. 2019. Economics of Education Review. 71, pp. 32-48.
The Impact of the Michigan Merit Curriculum on High School Math Course-Taking
Soobin Kim, Gregory Wallsworth, Ran Xu, Barbara Schneider, Kenneth Frank, Brian Jacob, Susan Dynarski. 2019. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 41:2, pp. 164-88.
Estimating the Effects of a Large For-Profit Charter School Operator
Susan Dynarski, Daniel Hubbard, Brian Jacob, and Silvia Robles. 2018. NBER Working Paper. Revise and resubmit, Journal of Public Economics.
How Important Are Fixed Effects and Time Trends in Estimating Returns to Schooling?
Susan Dynarski, Brian Jacob, and Daniel Kreisman. 2018. Journal of Applied Econometrics 33:7, pp. 1098-1108.
Tax Benefits for College Attendance
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan Dynarski. 2017. In Alan Auerbach and Kent Smetters, eds., The Economics of Tax Policy. Oxford University Press.
The Gap within the Gap: Using Longitudinal Data to Understand Income Differences in Student Achievement
Susan Dynarski and Katherine Michelmore. 2017. AERA Open (February).
Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter Schools on College Preparation, Entry and Choice
Joshua Angrist, Sarah Cohodes, Susan Dynarski, Parag Pathak, and Christopher Walters. April 2016. Journal of Labor Economics 34 (2) Part 1.
Are Expectations Alone Enough? Estimating the Effect of a Mandatory College-Prep Curriculum in Michigan
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Brian Jacob, Susan Dynarski, Kenneth Frank, and Barbara Schneider. 2017. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 39 (2).
Labor Market Returns to Community College Awards: Evidence From Michigan
Peter Riley Bahr, Susan M. Dynarski, Brian A. Jacob, Daniel Kreisman, Alfredo Sosa, and Mark Wiederspan. 2015. CAPSEE Working Paper.
The Missing Manual: Using National Student Clearinghouse Data to Track Post-Secondary Outcomes
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Susan M. Dynarski, Steven Hemelt, and Joshua Hyman. 2015. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 37(1): 53S-79S.
An Economist's Perspective on Student Loans in the United States
Susan M. Dynarski. 2014. "An Economist's Perspective on Student Loans in the United States." Brookings Institution.
Building Better Longitudinal Surveys (on the cheap) through Links to Administrative Data
Susan M. Dynarski. 2014. Prepared for the National Academy of Education.
Simplifying Tax Incentives and Aid for College: Progress and Prospects
Judith Scott-Clayton, Susan M. Dynarski, Mark Wiederspan. 2013. Tax Policy and the Economy 27 (1).
Loans for Educational Opportunity: Making Borrowing Work for Today's Students
Daniel Kreisman and Susan M. Dynarski. 2013. Hamilton Project Discussion Paper.
Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Post-Secondary Attainment and Degree Completion
Susan M. Dynarski, Joshua Hyman, and Diane Schanzenbach. 2013. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 32(4): 692-717.
Charter Schools and the Road to College Readiness
Joshua Angrist, Sarah Cohodes, Susan M. Dynarski, Parag Pathak, and Christopher Walters. 2013. The Boston Foundation.
Financial Aid Policy: Lessons from Research
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2013. Future of Children 23 (1): 67-91.
Student Aid Simplification: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Mark Wiederspan and Susan M. Dynarski. 2012. National Tax Journal 65(1): 211-234.
Who Benefits from KIPP?
Joshua Angrist, Susan M. Dynarski, Thomas Kane, Parag Pathak, and Christopher Walters. 2012. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 31(4): 837-860.
Gains and Gaps: Changing Inequality in US College Entry and Completion
Martha Bailey and Susan M. Dynarski. 2011. In Greg Duncan and Richard Murnane, eds., Whither Opportunity: Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children's Life Chances.
Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters and Pilots
Atila Abdulkadiroglu, Joshua Angrist, Susan M. Dynarski, Thomas Kane, and Parag Pathak. 2011. Quarterly Journal of Economics 126: 699-748.
Student Achievement in Massachusetts' Charter Schools
Joshua Angrist, Sarah Cohodes, Susan M. Dynarski, Jon Fullerton, Thomas Kane, Parag Pathak, and Christopher Walter. 2011. Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.
Inputs and Impacts in Charter Schools: KIPP Lynn
Joshua Angrist, Susan M. Dynarski, Thomas Kane, Parag Pathak, and Christopher Walters. 2010. American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings 100: 1-5.
Cheaper By the Dozen: Using Sibling Discounts at Catholic Schools to Estimate the Price Elasticity of Private School Attendance
Susan M. Dynarski, Jonathan Gruber, and Danielle Li. 2009. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 15461.
Into College, Out of Poverty? Policies to Increase the Post-Secondary Attainment of the Poor
David Deming and Susan M. Dynarski. 2009. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 15387.
Informing the Debate: Comparing Boston's Charter, Pilot and Traditional Schools
Atila Abdulkadiroglu, Josh Angrist, Sarah Cohodes, Susan M. Dynarski, Jon Fullerton, Thomas Kane, and Parag Pathak. 2009. The Boston Foundation.
Raising College Enrollment
Susan M. Dynarski. 2008. Milken Institute Review 10(3): 37‐45.
The Lengthening of Childhood
David Deming and Susan M. Dynarski. 2008. Journal of Economic Perspectives 22(3): 71-92.
Building the Stock of College-Educated Labor
Susan M. Dynarski. 2008. Journal of Human Resources 43(3): 576-610.
Complexity and Targeting in Federal Student Aid: A Quantitative Analysis
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2008. Tax Policy and the Economy 22: 109-150.
Focus Tax Incentives on the Students Who Need Them
Susan M. Dynarski. 2007. Chronicle of Higher Education August 17, 2007.
College Grants on a Postcard: A Proposal for Simple and Predictable Student Aid
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2007. Hamilton Project discussion paper.
The Feasibility of Streamlining Aid for College Using the Tax System
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2007. National Tax Association Papers and Proceedings.
Simplify and Focus the Education Tax Incentives
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2006. National Bureau of Economic Research.
The Cost of Complexity in Federal Student Aid: Lessons from Optimal Tax Theory and Behavioral Economics
Judith Scott-Clayton and Susan M. Dynarski. 2006. National Bureau of Economics Research Working Paper 12227.
Tax Policy and Education Policy: Collision or Coordination? A Case Study of the 529 and Coverdell Saving Incentives
Susan Dynarski
Susan M. Dynarski. 2004. Tax Policy and the Economy 18: 81-116.
Who Benefits from the Education Saving Incentives? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell
Susan M. Dynarski. 2004. National Tax Journal. LVII (2 Part 2): 259-383.
The New Merit Aid
Susan M. Dynarski. 2004. In College Choices: The Economics of Where to Go, When to Go, and How To Pay for It, edited by Caroline M. Hoxby.
Does Aid Matter? Measuring the Effects of Student Aid on College Attendance and Completion
Susan M. Dynarski. 2003. American Economic Review 279-288.
Loans, Liquidity and Schooling Decisions
Susan M. Dynarski. 2003. National Bureau of Economic Research.
The Behavioral and Distributional Implications of Aid for College
Susan M. Dynarski. 2002. American Economic Review 92(2):279-285.
Hope for Whom? Financial Aid for the Middle Class and Its Impact on College Attendance
Susan M. Dynarski. 2000. National Tax Journal 53(3, Part 2): 629-662.
Can Families Smooth Variable Earnings?
Jonathan Gruber and Susan M. Dynarski. 1997. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.