Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
10-2017
Publisher
Wiley
Source Publication
Contemporary Economic Policy
Source ISSN
1465-7287
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between athletic success and student persistence toward a degree. We build an updated panel of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions and utilize within-institution variation to identify the effects of athletic success. Using a ranking of all institutions, we find that having more successful men's basketball and football teams has a significant positive effect on first-year retention rates. We also find some evidence that improved basketball rankings increase graduation rates, and that success in the NCAA tournament may have a sizable impact on retention. Although the estimated effects are generally modest in scale, we find rather limited evidence of other institutional factors affecting persistence, suggesting that athletics can be one avenue for institutions of higher education to engage and retain students.
Recommended Citation
Hickman, Daniel C. and Meyer, Andrew G., "Does Athletic Success Influence Persistence at Higher Education Institutions? New Evidence Using Panel Data" (2017). Economics Faculty Research and Publications. 554.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_fac/554
Comments
This is the peer reviewed version of an article that appeared in Contemporary Economic Policy, Vol. 35 No. 4 (2017). Published in final form here: DOI. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Used with permission.