Assessing Atlanta’s Placed-Based College Scholarship

Abstract

We investigate whether and how Achieve Atlanta’s college scholarship and associated services impact college enrollment, persistence, and graduation among Atlanta Public School graduates experiencing low household income. Qualifying for the scholarship of up to $5,000 per year does not meaningfully change college enrollment among those near the high school GPA eligibility thresholds. However, scholarship receipt does have large and statistically significant effects on early college persistence (i.e., 14%) that continue through BA degree completion within 4 years (22%), although scholarship receipt does not impact graduation from 2-year colleges. We discuss how the selection criteria and processes of place-based programs intended for those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds may influence results for different types of students.