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The effects of quantitative skills training on college outcomes and peers

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  • Butcher, Kristin F.
  • McEwan, Patrick J.
  • Taylor, Corrine H.

Abstract

This paper estimates the causal effect of taking a course in quantitative reasoning on students' academic performance and classroom peer-group composition at a liberal arts college. To identify effects, the paper compares the outcomes of otherwise similar students who barely passed a baseline quantitative skills assessment (not taking the course) with students who barely failed (taking the course). The regression-discontinuity estimates show little impact on academic outcomes for student close to the passing cutoff, including grades on subsequent courses with quantitative content, but we are unable to distinguish small from zero effects. Exogenous course assignment does affect the composition of students' classroom peer groups in subsequent years. The effects can only be generalized to students in the vicinity of the passing threshold (but not students with much worse quantitative skills at the baseline). We discuss implications for research and policy on remediation.

Suggested Citation

  • Butcher, Kristin F. & McEwan, Patrick J. & Taylor, Corrine H., 2010. "The effects of quantitative skills training on college outcomes and peers," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 187-199, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:29:y:2010:i:2:p:187-199
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eric P. Bettinger & Bridget Terry Long, 2009. "Addressing the Needs of Underprepared Students in Higher Education: Does College Remediation Work?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(3).
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    6. Juan Carlos Calcagno & Bridget Terry Long, 2008. "The Impact of Postsecondary Remediation Using a Regression Discontinuity Approach: Addressing Endogenous Sorting and Noncompliance," NBER Working Papers 14194, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Lee, David S. & Card, David, 2008. "Regression discontinuity inference with specification error," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 655-674, February.
    8. Patrick J. McEwan & Joseph S. Shapiro, 2008. "The Benefits of Delayed Primary School Enrollment: Discontinuity Estimates Using Exact Birth Dates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(1).
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    Cited by:

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    2. Peralta, Maria Alexandra & Swinton, Scott M. & Maredia, Mywish K., 2011. "Accounting for selection bias in impact analysis of a rural development program: An application using propensity score matching," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126398, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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