Working Papers
Bhargava, P., Black, S., Denning, J., Fairlie, R., & Gurantz, O. (2025). A Family Affair: The Effects of College on Parent and Student Finances. Under Review.
Anisfeld, A., Bell, E., Gurantz, O., & Kramer, D. (2025). Costly Withdrawals Reduce Future College-Going for Low-Income Students: Evidence from Return of Title IV Funds. Revised & Resubmitted, Economics of Education Review.
Whitfield, E., & Gurantz, O. (2025). How Better FAFSA Changed Federal Aid Applications. Under Review.
Gurantz, O., Girard, A., & Cascardi, E. (2025). An Informational Letter Increases Naturalization Submissions: Evidence from a Randomized Trial. Under Review. Pre-registration Plan.
Gurantz, O., Sakoda, R., & Sarkar S. (2021). How does the elimination of state aid to for-profit colleges affect enrollment? Evidence from California's reforms. EdWorkingPaper No. 21-439, Annenberg Institute, Brown University.
Work in progress
Black, S., Denning, J., Fairlie, R., Gurantz, O., Ramos, S., & Sullivan, W. The impacts of Parent PLUS access on postsecondary enrollment and financial health. Pre-registration plan.
Friedmann, E., Gurantz, O., Kurlaender, M., Martorell, P., & Yeng, W. Financial aid for nontraditional students. Presented at AEFP 2025.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Turner, L. & Gurantz, O. (2025) Experimental Estimates of College Coaching on Postsecondary Re-enrollment. Education Finance and Policy
Gurantz, O., & Tsai, Y. (2023). The impact of federal administrative burdens on college enrollment. Economics of Education Review, 97.
Bettinger, E., Gurantz, O., Lee, M. & Long, B. (2023). "Prior-prior year" FAFSA increased aid submission but likely not enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 64, 789-807.
Gurantz, O. & Obadan, A. (2022). Documenting their decisions: How state-aid eligible undocumented students enroll and persist in college. Educational Researcher, 51(8), 524-535.
Gurantz, O., & Odle, T. (2022). The Impact of Merit Aid on College Choice and Degree Attainment: Reexamining Florida’s Bright Futures Program. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 44(1), 79-104.
Executive Summary; Slides (TBD)
Gurantz, O. (2022). Impacts of state aid for non-traditional students on educational and labor market outcomes. Journal of Human Resources, 57(1), 241-271.
Gurantz, O. (2021). How college credit in high school impacts postsecondary course-taking: the role of AP exams. Education Finance and Policy, (16)2, 233-255.
Gurantz, O., Howell, J., Hurwitz, M., Larson, C., Pender, M., White, B. (2021). A national-level informational experiment to promote enrollment in selective colleges. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 40(2), 453-479.
Media: Chalkbeat, Education Dive, Inside Higher Ed
Formerly "Realizing Your College Potential? Impacts of College Board’s RYCP Campaign on Postsecondary Enrollment. EdWorkingPaper No.19-40, Annenberg Institute, Brown University. "
Gurantz, O. & Wielga, C. (2021). How have FAFSA submissions differed during COVID-19? Educational Researcher, 50(4), 256-260.
Gurantz, O., Hurwitz, M., & Smith, J. (2020). Sibling Effects on High School Exam Taking and Performance. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 178, 534-549.
Slides soon
Gurantz, O., Pender, M., Mabel, Z., Larson, C., & Bettinger, E. (2020). Virtual Advising for High-Achieving High School Students. Economics of Education Review, 75.
Goodman, J., Gurantz, O., & Smith, J. (2020). Take Two! SAT Retaking and College Enrollment Gaps. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 12(2), 115-158.
Gurantz, O. (2020). What does free community college buy? Early impacts from the Oregon Promise. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 39(1), 11-35.
Media: Inside Higher Ed
Bettinger, E., Gurantz, O., Kawano, L., Sacerdote, B.,& Stevens, M. (2019). The Long-Run Impacts of Financial Aid: Evidence from California's Cal Grants. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 11(1), 64-94.
Gurantz, O. (2018). A Little Can Go a Long Way: The Impact of Advertising Services on Program Take-Up. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 40(3), 382-398.
Avery, C., Gurantz, O., Hurwitz, M., & Smith, J. (2018). Shifting College Majors in Response to Advanced Placement Scores. Journal of Human Resources, 53(4), 918-956.
Media: Quartz
Gurantz, O., Hurwitz, M., & Smith, J. (2017). College Enrollment and Completion Among Nationally Recognized High-Achieving Hispanic Students. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 36(1), 126-153.
Media: Education Next, JPAM Featured Article
Gurantz, O. (2015). Who Loses Out? Registration Order, Course Availability, and Student Behaviors in Community College. Journal of Higher Education, 86(4), 524-563.
Policy briefs and other non-academic writing
Gurantz, O. (2025). College Grants, Scholarships and Promise Programs. Policy Brief for AEFP Live Handbook.
Gurantz, O., Bell, E., and Turner, M.C. (2023). Investigating the Scope and Implication of Return to Title IV Funds. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.
Carruthers, C., Gurantz, O., & Page, L. (2022). Helping Students Make Informed Choices About College. EdResearch for Recovery Brief, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.
Gurantz, O. (2020). Paying for Itself: How Financial Aid is a Smart Investment in Our Nation’s Future. Academix Upshot Policy Brief for Third Way.
Gurantz, O. (2018). Improving Outreach and Accessibility of Financial Aid. Policy Brief for the North Carolina Student Aid Study Group.
Older Publications (prior to graduate degree)
Terriquez, V., & Gurantz, O. (2015). Financial Challenges in Emerging Adulthood and Students' Decisions to Stop Out of College. Emerging Adulthood, 3(3), 204-214.
Carew, M., Scolari, L., & Gurantz, O. (2013). You Can't Point Fingers at Data: Cross-Agency Collaboration and Shared Data from a Community Perspective. In M. McLaughlin & R. London (Eds.), From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes (pp. 83-102). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Gurantz, O., & Sanchez, M. (2013). Transferring Knowledge: Using Data to Examine Students' Educational Transitions. In M. McLaughlin & R. A. London (Eds.), From Data to Action: A Community Approach to Improving Youth Outcomes (pp. 17-42). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
London, R. A., & Gurantz, O. (2013). Afterschool Program Participation, Youth Physical Fitness, and Overweight. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 44(3, Supplement 3), S200-S207.
Gurantz, O., & Borsato, G. (2012). Building and Implementing a College Readiness Indicator System: Lessons from the First Two Years of the CRIS Initiative. Voices in Urban Education, 35, 5-15.
London, R. A., Gurantz, O., & Norman, J. (2011). The Effect of Afterschool Program Participation on English Language Acquisition. Afterschool Matters, 13, 22-29.
London, R. A., & Gurantz, O. (2010). Data Infrastructure and Secondary to Postsecondary Tracking. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 15(1-2), 186-199.