The Price of STEM Success: Explaining the Impact of Need-Based Financial Aid on STEM Student Behavior

这项为期四年的混合方法研究项目正在调查基于需要的经济援助是否、如何以及为什么会影响STEM项目本科生的行为和成功。这项研究的主要目标是评估经济援助对STEM项目或专业的选择和成功的因果影响。该项目跟踪并比较了1800名低收入学生(900名随机选择接受额外资助的学生和900名经济背景相似的学生不接受额外资助)。这项随机对照研究测试了与经济援助有助于学生完成学位这一假设相关的三个假设。假设一：额外的经济援助将减少工作时间，每周工作超过20小时的学生数量将减少。假设二：经济援助的增加将刺激学习时间质量的改善，这将导致接受者尝试在STEM中获得更多学分，并获得更高的分数。假设三：额外的资金将使受援国能够更多地参与STEM浓缩活动。

This four-year mixed methods research project is investigating whether, how, and why need-based financial aid affects the behavior and success of undergraduate students in STEM programs. The primary goal of the study is to estimate the causal effects of financial aid on choice of and success in a STEM program or major. The project tracks and compares 1,800 low-income students (900 students randomly selected to receive additional financial support with 900 students with similar economic backgrounds who do not receive additional support). The randomized control study tests three hypotheses associated with the assumption that financial aid assists in student degree completion. Hypothesis One: Additional financial aid will reduce the number of hours spent working and the number of students working more than 20 hours per week will decline. Hypothesis Two: An increase in financial aid will stimulate an improvement of the quality of study time and that this will lead recipients to attempt more credits in STEM and achieve higher grades. Hypothesis Three: Additional funding will permit recipients to increase their participation in STEM enrichment activities.