The Connection Between Quality and Completion But how much does institutional quality affect student outcomes? A lot, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Joshua S. Goodman, an assistant professor of public policy, and Sarah Cohodes, a Ph.D. student, analyzed the educational outcomes of students who enrolled in Massachusetts public colleges through a scholarship program that waives tuition for students with test scores above specific thresholds. In other words, students who are qualified to attend private or out-of-state colleges of “higher quality,” as defined by measures such as on-time graduation rates and selectivity. The researchers compared the outcomes of scholarship recipients to those of similar students with test scores just below the thresholds for eligibility. photo via flickr:CC | Shira Golding

The Connection Between Quality and Completion

But how much does institutional quality affect student outcomes? A lot, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Joshua S. Goodman, an assistant professor of public policy, and Sarah Cohodes, a Ph.D. student, analyzed the educational outcomes of students who enrolled in Massachusetts public colleges through a scholarship program that waives tuition for students with test scores above specific thresholds. In other words, students who are qualified to attend private or out-of-state colleges of “higher quality,” as defined by measures such as on-time graduation rates and selectivity. The researchers compared the outcomes of scholarship recipients to those of similar students with test scores just below the thresholds for eligibility.

photo via flickr:CC | Shira Golding