AEA Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
School’s in for Summer? The Effect of Encouraging Summer Community College Enrollment
AEA Papers and Proceedings
(pp. 362–366)
Abstract
We present evidence from a field experiment examining whether encouraging summer community college enrollment affects early postsecondary outcomes. Graduating high school seniors, participating in a college intentions survey, were randomly assigned to receive a brief informational message describing the benefits, affordability, and transferability of summer coursework. Linking survey responses to administrative enrollment records from California, we find that the intervention increased summer enrollment and the number of units attempted and earned. The effects are economically meaningful relative to low baseline enrollment rates. These results highlight the role of timely, low-cost information in shaping students’ transition from high school to college.Citation
Carrell, Scott E., Michal Kurlaender, Paco Martorell, and Christina Sun. 2026. "School’s in for Summer? The Effect of Encouraging Summer Community College Enrollment." AEA Papers and Proceedings 116: 362–366. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261102Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I21 Analysis of Education
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions