Does Drinking Impair College Performance? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Approach

27 Pages Posted: 25 Jun 2010 Last revised: 12 Aug 2010

See all articles by Scott E. Carrell

Scott E. Carrell

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics

Mark Hoekstra

University of Pittsburgh - Department of Economics

James E. West

Baylor University - Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: August 10, 2010

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of alcohol consumption on student achievement. To do so, we exploit the discontinuity in drinking at age 21 at a college in which the minimum legal drinking age is strictly enforced. We find that drinking causes significant reductions in academic performance, particularly for the highest-performing students. This suggests that the negative consequences of alcohol consumption extend beyond the narrow segment of the population at risk of more severe, low-frequency, outcomes.

Keywords: Alcohol, Drinking, Education

JEL Classification: I18, I21

Suggested Citation

Carrell, Scott E. and Hoekstra, Mark and West, James E., Does Drinking Impair College Performance? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Approach (August 10, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1629873 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1629873

Scott E. Carrell

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics ( email )

One Shields Drive
Davis, CA 95616-8578
United States

Mark Hoekstra (Contact Author)

University of Pittsburgh - Department of Economics ( email )

4714 Posvar Hall
230 S. Bouquet Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.pitt.edu/facpage.php?uid=108

James E. West

Baylor University - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 98003
Waco, TX 76798-8003
United States
254-710-6126 (Phone)

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