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
figure_1.pdf	application/pdf	55.4 KB	10/20/2020 02:53:PM
figure_2a.pdf	application/pdf	57.8 KB	10/15/2020 11:20:AM
figure_2b.pdf	application/pdf	57.5 KB	10/15/2020 11:20:AM
figure_A1.pdf	application/pdf	57.9 KB	10/15/2020 11:20:AM
figure_A1_DnD.txt	text/plain	12.8 KB	10/15/2020 11:20:AM
figure_A2a.pdf	application/pdf	57.9 KB	10/20/2020 03:09:PM
figure_A2a_DnD.txt	text/plain	62.6 KB	10/15/2020 11:21:AM
figure_A2b.pdf	application/pdf	58 KB	10/20/2020 03:09:PM
figure_A2b_DnD.txt	text/plain	4 KB	10/15/2020 11:21:AM
figure_A2c.pdf	application/pdf	57.9 KB	10/20/2020 03:09:PM

Project Description

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: Postsecondary Graduation Rates; Education Policy; Academic Calendar

JEL Classification:
      I21 Analysis of Education
      I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
      I28 Education: Government Policy

Geographic Coverage: United States

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): administrative records data; aggregate data; census/enumeration data

Methodology

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: cohort enrollment

Unit(s) of Observation: student-level, institution-level

Related Publications

Download this project

Published Versions

V1 [2022-01-28]

Export Metadata

Dublin Core

DDI 2.5

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as it arrived from the data depositor. ICPSR has not checked or processed this material. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is desired.