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Every Little Bit Counts: The Impact of High-Speed Internet on the Transition to College

Author

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  • Lisa J. Dettling

    (Federal Reserve Board of Governors)

  • Sarena Goodman

    (Federal Reserve Board of Governors)

  • Jonathan Smith

    (Georgia State University)

Abstract

This paper examines whether high-speed Internet affects students' college applications. Our analysis links the diffusion of residential broadband to the testing and application outcomes of millions of PSAT and SAT takers and reveals that students with broadband in their postal code perform better on the SAT and apply to a higher number and more expansive set of colleges. While the availability of broadband generally improved applications to college, the effects appear to be concentrated among high-SES students, suggesting that the new technology may have increased preexisting inequities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa J. Dettling & Sarena Goodman & Jonathan Smith, 2018. "Every Little Bit Counts: The Impact of High-Speed Internet on the Transition to College," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 100(2), pages 260-273, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:100:y:2018:i:2:p:260-273
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    Cited by:

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    3. Niu, Geng & Jin, XiaoShu & Wang, Qi & Zhou, Yang, 2022. "Broadband infrastructure and digital financial inclusion in rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Peter Bergman, 2020. "Nudging Technology Use: Descriptive and Experimental Evidence from School Information Systems," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 15(4), pages 623-647, Fall.
    5. Geraci, Andrea & Nardotto, Mattia & Reggiani, Tommaso & Sabatini, Fabio, 2022. "Broadband Internet and social capital," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    6. Henriksen, Alexandre Lauri & Zoghbi, Ana Carolina & Tannuri-Pianto, Maria & Terra, Rafael, 2022. "Education outcomes of broadband expansion in Brazilian municipalities," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    7. Samara R. Gunter, 2019. "Your biggest refund, guaranteed? Internet access, tax filing method, and reported tax liability," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(3), pages 536-570, June.
    8. Leogrande, Angelo & Magaletti, Nicola & Cosoli, Gabriele & Massaro, Alessandro, 2022. "Fixed Broadband Take-Up in Europe," MPRA Paper 112246, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Rosa Sanchis-Guarner & José Montalbán & Felix Weinhardt, 2021. "Home Broadband and Human Capital Formation," Working Papers 923, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    10. Wernsdorf, Kathrin & Nagler, Markus & Watzinger, Martin, 2022. "ICT, collaboration, and innovation: Evidence from BITNET," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    11. Wang, Yi & Niu, Geng & Zhou, Yang & Lu, Weijie, 2023. "Broadband internet and stock market participation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    12. Mack, Elizabeth A. & Helderop, Edward & Keene, Thomas & Loveridge, Scott & Mann, John & Grubesic, Tony H. & Kowalkowski, Brian & Gollnow, Miranda, 2022. "A longitudinal analysis of broadband provision in tribal areas," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    13. Benjamin Skinner & Taylor Burtch & Hazel Levy, 2024. "Variation in Broadband Access Among Undergraduate Populations Across the United States," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 65(5), pages 827-870, August.
    14. Sabatini, Fabio, 2023. "The Behavioral, Economic, and Political Impact of the Internet and Social Media: Empirical Challenges and Approaches," IZA Discussion Papers 16703, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Kathrin Wernsdorf & Markus Nagler & Martin Watzinger, 2020. "ICT, Collaboration, and Science-Based Innovation: Evidence from BITNET," CESifo Working Paper Series 8646, CESifo.
    16. Yanguas, Maria Lucia, 2020. "Technology and educational choices: Evidence from a one-laptop-per-child program," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    17. David J. Deming & Michael Lovenheim & Richard Patterson, 2018. "The Competitive Effects of Online Education," NBER Chapters, in: Productivity in Higher Education, pages 259-290, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Adair Morse & Karen Pence, 2021. "Technological Innovation and Discrimination in Household Finance," Springer Books, in: Raghavendra Rau & Robert Wardrop & Luigi Zingales (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Technological Finance, pages 783-808, Springer.
    19. Peter Leopold S. Bergman, 2016. "Technology Adoption in Education: Usage, Spillovers and Student Achievement," CESifo Working Paper Series 6101, CESifo.
    20. Campbell, Richard Cole, 2024. "Need for speed: Fiber and student achievement," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6).
    21. Van Parys, Jessica & Brown, Zach Y., 2024. "Broadband Internet access and health outcomes: Patient and provider responses in Medicare," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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