Does College Enrollment and Bachelor's Completion by Mothers Impact Children's Educational Outcomes?. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monaghan, David
• Is Part Of: Sociology of education. Volume 90:Number 1(2017:Jan.)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 24
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: higher education -- nontraditional undergraduates -- college completion -- inverse probability of treatment weighting; Educational sociology -- Periodicals; 306.43
• DOI: 10.1177/0038040716681054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-0407

Abstract

Today, many undergraduates are themselves raising children. But does college-going by parents improve their offspring's educational attainment? I address this question using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth–1979 and linked Children and Young Adults Survey. I first model postnatal college enrollment and bachelor's completion by mothers and use predicted probabilities to minimize selection bias through inverse probability of treatment weighting. I then estimate the impact of maternal college enrollment and attainment on offspring's likelihood of graduating from high school, enrolling in college, and completing a four-year degree. I find sizeable effects of maternal college completion on all outcomes, but the impact of maternal enrollment without completion is considerably muted. I review implications for sociological research and policies to assist nontraditional students.