Research

Duke, S., & Odle, T.K. (Conditionally Accepted). Does free college “work” for adult learners? Enrollment impacts of Michigan Reconnect. Educational Researcher.

Odle, T.K., & Otero, S. (In Press). Institutional responses to tuition controls: Evidence from Tennessee’s tuition ranges. The Review of Higher Education.

Delaney, J.A., & Odle, T.K. (2025). State-level common application policies and college enrollment. Education Finance and Policy, 20(1), 164-171. doi: 10.1162/edfp_a_00439.

Odle, T.K., Gottfried, M.A., Miller, T., & Andrews, R. (2025). Who’s matched up? Access to same-race instructors in higher education. Economics of Education Review,  102619 (In Press). doi: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2024.102619.

• Working Paper (Pre-Print): "Who’s Matched Up? Access to Same-Race Instructors in Higher Education." EdWorkingPaper No. 22-681, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Odle, T.K., Wright-Kim, J., & Castrejón, A. (2025). Whose last dollar? Estimating the effects of promise programs on financial aid awards. The Journal of Higher Education, 1-30. doi: 10.1080/00221546.2025.2455332.

Freeman, J.A., Gottfried, M.A., & Odle, T.K. (2024). Explaining course enrollment gaps in high school: Examination of gender-imbalance in the applied sciences. Educational Policy, 38(4), 897-936. doi: 10.1177/08959048231174884.

Delaney, J. A., Trinh, T.M., & Odle, T.K. (2023). Direct admissions: Policies and principles. College & University, 98(3), 75-80. https://eric.ed.gov/?q=ED652189&id=ED652189.

Gottfried, M.A., Freeman, J.A., Odle, T.K., Plasman, J. S., Klasik, D., & Dougherty. S. (2023). Does high school STEMM career coursework align with college employment? Teachers College Record, 125(3), 207-236. doi: 10.1177/01614681231175199.

Odle, T.K., Bae, J., & Gonzalez Canche, M.S. (2023). The effect of the Uniform Bar Examination on admissions, diversity, affordability, and employment prospects across law schools in the United States. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 45(3), 520-529. doi: 10.3102/0162373722113180.

• Access the pre-print version.

Odle, T.K., & Russell, L.C. (2023). The impact of reverse transfer associate degrees on education and labor market outcomes. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 42(3), 648-676. doi: 10.1002/pam.22480.

• Working Paper (Pre-Print): "Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: Causal Impacts of Reverse Transfer Associate Degrees on Education and Labor Market Outcomes." EdWorkingPaper No. 22-569, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Gurantz, O., & Odle, T.K. (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. doi: 10.3102/01623737211030489.

• Working Paper (Pre-Print): "The Impact of Merit Aid on College Choice and Degree Attainment: Reexamining Florida’s Bright Futures Program." EdWorkingPaper No. 20-306, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Odle, T.K. (2022). Free to spend? Institutional autonomy and expenditures on executive compensation, faculty salaries, and research activities. Research in Higher Education, 63, 1-32. doi: 10.1007/s11162-021-09642-y.

• Access the pre-print version.

Odle, T.K., & Delaney, J.A. (2022). You are admitted! Early evidence on enrollment from Idaho's direct admissions system. Research in Higher Education, 63, 899-932. doi: 10.1007/s11162-022-09675-x.

• Access the pre-print version.

Odle, T.K., Lee, J.C., & Gentile, S.P. (2021). Do promise programs reduce student loans? Evidence from Tennessee Promise. The Journal of Higher Education, 92(6), 847-876.  doi: 10.1080/00221546.2021.1888674.

• Access the pre-print version.

Odle, T.K., & Monday, A. (2021). Spending more or spending less? Institutional expenditures and staffing in the free-college era. AERA Open, 7(1), 1-21. doi: 10.1177/23328584211034491.

• Access the pre-print version.

Odle, T.K. The power of 'free' college: Reducing racial and socioeconomic inequalities in college expectations.

• Revisions requested at Economics of Education Review.
• Working Paper: "The Power of “Free” College: Reducing Racial and Socioeconomic Inequalities in College Expectations." EdWorkingPaper No. 22-565, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Odle, T.K., Duke, S., & Dunens, E. High Performing Pell institutions: A typology and analysis of institutions with high low-income student success.

• Revisions requested at AERA Open.

Odle, T.K., & Russell, L. The role of education-industry match in college earnings premia.

• Revisions requested at Education Finance and Policy.
• Working Paper: "The Role of Education-Industry Match in College Earnings Premia." EdWorkingPaper No. 24-994, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Castrejón, A., & Odle, T.K. Did institutions alter financial aid during the test-optional movement: Early quasi-experimental evidence.

Odle, T.K. Comparative cost analyses of community college student success initiatives.

• Working Paper: "Comparative Cost Analyses of Community College Student Success Initiatives." EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1268, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

"Advising at scale: Evidence from Tennessee's Advise TN statewide college access strategy," with I. McMullen.

"Another unfunded mandate? Institutional effects of Maryland dual enrollment," with J. Wright-Kim.

"Geographic and community influences on college savings: Evidence from the universe of Pennsylvania 529 account holders,” with R. Nathenson.

"No pay? No way! Impacts of teacher compensation changes on graduate enrollment in nearby universities," with P. L. Delgado.

"Non-submitters:" Evidence on students who start but don't complete a college application."

• Working Paper: "Non-Submitters:” Evidence on Students Who Start but Don’t Complete a College Application." EdWorkingPaper No. 23-819, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

“Student and faculty same-race matching at research universities,” with S. Luo, N. Fu, & T. Miller.

"Talks that matter: Exploring the relationship between conversations with counselors, parents, peers, and teachers and college attendance," with E. Hsieh.

“Can targeted college and career information improve college-going outcomes? Experimental evidence from the College Advising Corp.”

"Difference-in-differences with endogenous treatment: Issues and solutions in education policy settings."

“Impacts of direct admissions on racial and socioeconomic diversity,” with S. Otero.

"The impact of stacking degrees: Are returns to a bachelor's degree different for workers who also have associate degrees?," with L. Russell.

"A PLUS or a minus? A mixed methods investigation documenting the decisions and outcomes of students, families, and institutions in the Parent PLUS Loan portfolio," with J. Burmicky, & J. Wright-Kim.

"Simplifying enrollment in practice: Studying the integration of direct admissions programs and financial aid," with J.A. Delaney, & R. Weissbourd.

“Student-instructor gender matching and female students' outcomes in STEM at research universities,” with N. Fu, S. Luo, & T. Miller.

Delaney, J. A., & Odle, T.K. A "Fast Pass" to college access: An evaluation of Hawaii's direct admissions system.

Odle, T.K., & Delaney, J.A. Experimental evidence on "direct admissions" from four states: Impacts on college application and enrollment.

• Working Paper: "Experimental Evidence on "Direct Admissions" from Four States: Impacts on College Application and Enrollment." EdWorkingPaper No. 23-834, Annenberg Institute at Brown University.

Odle, T.K., & Delaney, J.A. Advancing college-going in Minnesota: Insights from Direct Admissions Minnesota.

Delaney, J.A., & Odle, T.K. (2022). Direct admissions: Proactively pushing students into college. In O.A. Poon, & M.N. Bastedo (Eds.), Rethinking college admissions: Research-based practice and policy (pp. 165-184). Harvard Education Press.

Odle, T.K., Wright-Kim, J., & Burmicky, J. (2024). Early insights on Parent PLUS borrowing across student and institutional contexts. The Debt Plu$ Project, Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Wright-Kim, J., Wang, M., Odle, T.K., & Burmicky, J. (2024). A PLUS or a minus: How Parent PLUS borrowing varies across institutions. The Debt Plu$ Project, Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Odle, T.K., Delaney, J.A., & Magouirk, P. (2023). Complex applications create barriers to college—some are trying to change that. Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution.

Odle, T.K. (2023). Direct admissions: Reimagining college applications to promote equity. The Campaign for College Opportunity.

Odle, T.K., & Glave, C. (2022). Review of P.B. Levine (2022), A problem of fit: How the complexity of college pricing hurts students—and universities. Teachers College Record. Review.

Odle, T. K., Dundar, A., Shapiro, D., Chen, X., & England, B. (2022). PDP insights: Credit accumulation and completion rates among first-year college students. National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Report.

Gonzalez Canche, M.S., Bae, J., Odle, T.K., Edgerton, A., & Fahl, C. (2021). Employment volatility in the academic workforce: Implications for faculty financial and retirement plans. TIAA Institute. Insights Report, Research Dialogue.

Gonzalez Canche, M.S., Odle, T.K., & Bae, J. (2021). The effect of the Uniform Bar Examination on admissions, diversity, affordability, and employment across law schools in the United States. AccessLex Institute. Report. 

Perna, L. W., & Odle, T.K. (2022). Do some forms of paying for college “cost” more than others? Examining how the role of student work impacts postsecondary value. Postsecondary Value Commission, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Policy Brief.

Delaney, J.A., & Odle, T.K. (2020). Reducing red tape through simplification: How Idaho radically reimagined college admissions. Hack the Gates: Radically Reimage Admissions. Policy Brief.

Odle, T.K. (2020). Strategies to support adult learners and some college, no degree students "to and through" a postsecondary credential. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. Report and Materials.

Odle, T.K., & Finney, J.E. (2020). "Faultlines" shaping higher education policy and opportunity in California. Institute for Research on Higher Education. Executive Summary, Full Report.

Delaney, J.A., & Odle, T.K. (2019). Direct admissions: Investing in a promising, low-cost policy innovation to increase college access and equity. Forum on the Future of Public Education. Reports.

Perna, L.W., & Odle, T.K. (2019). Recognizing the reality of working college students. American Association of University Professors / Academe, 106(1), 18-22. Article.

Perna, L.W., & Odle, T.K. (2019). Before you decide to work in college, ask yourself these questions. The Conversation. Article.