Data and Code for: "Semesters or Quarters? The Effect of the Academic Calendar on Postsecondary Student Outcomes"

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Valerie Bostwick , Kansas State University; Stefanie Fischer, Monash University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and IZA; Matthew Lang, University of California-Riverside

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  Data 12/01/2020 10:55:PM
  Do 12/01/2020 11:01:PM
  Output 10/20/2020 09:26:PM
README.pdf application/pdf 164.5 KB 01/29/2021 11:52:AM

Project Citation: 

Bostwick , Valerie , Fischer, Stefanie, and Lang, Matthew. Data and Code for: “Semesters or Quarters? The Effect of the Academic Calendar on Postsecondary Student Outcomes.” Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2022. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-01-28. https://doi.org/10.3886/E124861V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary
There exists a long-standing debate in higher education on which academic calendar is optimal. Using panel data on the near universe of four-year nonprofit institutions and leveraging quasi-experimental variation in calendars across institutions and years, we show switching from quarters to semesters negatively impacts on-time graduation rates. Event study analyses show the negative effects persist beyond the transition. Using transcript data, we replicate this analysis at the student-level and investigate possible mechanisms. Shifting to a semester: (1) lowers first-year grades; (2) decreases the probability of enrolling in a full course load; and (3) delays the timing of major choice.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms Postsecondary Graduation Rates; Education Policy; Academic Calendar
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      I21 Analysis of Education
      I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
      I28 Education: Government Policy
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1986 – 2017
Collection Date(s):  View help for Collection Date(s) 6/1/2016 – 9/1/2019
Universe:  View help for Universe First-time freshman enrolling in a four-year nonprofit institution (college or university) in the United States in a Fall term between 1990 and 2010. 
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) administrative records data; aggregate data; census/enumeration data

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source 1. IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System)
2. OLDA (Ohio Longitudinal Data Archive)
3. ODJFS (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services)
Weights:  View help for Weights cohort enrollment 
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation student-level, institution-level

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Published Versions

V1 [2022-01-28]

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