The Impact of Merit Aid on STEM Major Choices: A Propensity Score Approach
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| Title: | The Impact of Merit Aid on STEM Major Choices: A Propensity Score Approach |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Teng Zhao (ORCID |
| Source: | Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 2025 47(3):939-959. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
| Contract Number: | 1920670 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Merit Scholarships, STEM Education, Majors (Students), Course Selection (Students), College Students, State Aid |
| Geographic Terms: | Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, West Virginia, California, Illinois |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737241254842 |
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| Abstract: | Limited literature has investigated the effects of state and institutional merit-based financial aid on student choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major fields, an unintended consequence with important implications. By leveraging nationally representative longitudinal data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students, we examined these effects--respectively and jointly--with logistic regressions (LR) and propensity score matching (PSM). Both the LR and PSM results showed that students who receive both state- and institution-awarded merit aid were more likely to major in STEM. For students who only received state-awarded merit aid, the PSM presented significant and positive effects while the LR did not. Institution-only merit aid had no statistically measurable effect. We discuss implications for research, policy, and practice for state- and institution-based financial aid. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1479900 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Limited literature has investigated the effects of state and institutional merit-based financial aid on student choice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major fields, an unintended consequence with important implications. By leveraging nationally representative longitudinal data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students, we examined these effects--respectively and jointly--with logistic regressions (LR) and propensity score matching (PSM). Both the LR and PSM results showed that students who receive both state- and institution-awarded merit aid were more likely to major in STEM. For students who only received state-awarded merit aid, the PSM presented significant and positive effects while the LR did not. Institution-only merit aid had no statistically measurable effect. We discuss implications for research, policy, and practice for state- and institution-based financial aid. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737241254842 |
