Chicago STAR Scholarship — Dual Enrollment

Summary

The Chicago STAR experiment tested whether a college promise — information about guaranteed tuition-free access combined with advising — could move the needle on college enrollment among Chicago public school students. The design is important: the scholarship was already available; the experiment tested whether proactive outreach and clear communication about an existing benefit changed behavior. It did. The effects were modest in absolute terms but meaningful in context, and largest among the first-generation students who most needed to know the offer existed. The finding reinforces a broader pattern: many low-income students do not access programs they qualify for because the programs are poorly communicated, not because they are unwanted.

Research question

"Does a tuition-free community college promise program increase college enrollment and attainment for high school juniors?"

Methodology

Result

Positive

FAFSA completion: +5.4 pp; City Colleges enrollment: +3.2 pp; college persistence to year 2: +4.1 pp; effects largest for first-generation students

Evidence strength

Strong

Randomized controlled trial with large sample.

Replication status

Partially replicated