Susan Dynarski
The New York Times
Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Past articles by Susan:
Colleges Are Fueling the Pandemic in a Classic Market Failure
Financial pressures explain why many campuses have brought students back. But there is a textbook solution, two economists say: government intervention. → Read More
The School Year Really Ended in March
Abrupt closings have stalled the learning of millions of students. U.S. education needs a rescue, an economist says, and it won’t be cheap. → Read More
In a Sharp Downturn, College Can Be a Shock Absorber
The lessons of the last recession were harsh but clear. Public colleges need plenty of money during economic declines. → Read More
Taking Out a Student Loan Is Better Than Dropping Out
New research shows that students who borrowed more defaulted less, probably because the additional credits they were able to complete led to more stable careers. → Read More
At Elite Colleges, Racial Diversity Requires Affirmative Action
Getting more low-income students into elite colleges is an important goal. But most poor applicants are white, so race-based criteria are needed. → Read More
Fresh Proof That Strong Unions Help Reduce Income Inequality
New research demonstrates the direct and indirect effects of unions going back to the 1930s. Now that the union movement is weaker, inequality has risen. → Read More
How to Clean Up the Student Loan Mess
Putting borrowers into income-based repayment plans can help — but that decision can be arbitrary, and lenders aren’t sufficiently supervised. → Read More
An International Final Four: Which Country Handles Student Debt Best?
In America, college student loan defaults are a really big problem. In Australia? No worries. → Read More
Online Courses Are Harming the Students Who Need the Most Help
Online education helps school districts that need to save money make do with fewer teachers. But there is mounting evidence that struggling students suffer. → Read More
Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.
A growing body of evidence shows that college students generally learn less when they use computers or tablets during lectures. That is probably true in workplace meetings, too. → Read More
For better learning in college lectures, lay down the laptop and pick up a pen
Susan Dynarski examines the evidence that students learn better if they aren't using their laptops during lectures. → Read More
The Wrong Way to Fix Student Debt
Americans owe more than a trillion dollars in student debt. Regulatory changes by the Trump administration are taking us in the wrong direction. → Read More
A Fumble on a Key Fafsa Tool, and a Failure to Communicate
Applying for financial aid got harder at an inopportune time for many students, and federal agencies were slow to explain a problem with a data tool. → Read More
Free Market for Education? Economists Generally Don’t Buy It
Economics teaches caution about where and when markets can work without government intervention. Education is one such case. → Read More
Free Market for Education? Economists Generally Don’t Buy It
Economics teaches caution about where and when markets can work without government intervention. Education is one such case. → Read More
With Trump, Investors See Profits Again in For-Profit Colleges
Stock prices of the companies rose sharply after the election, perhaps because of an expectation of less regulation. → Read More
A Conveyor Belt of Dropouts and Debt at For-Profit Colleges
How Congress and the Department of Education can fix an increasingly important system in which graduation rates are low and default rates are high. → Read More
At Last, Your Financial Aid Ordeal Has Gotten Easier
Thanks to long-overdue reforms, college applicants can find out earlier, often while they’re still comparing options, whether they qualify for federal aid. → Read More
At Last, a Little Breathing Room in the Financial Aid Gantlet
Thanks to long-overdue reforms, college applicants can find out earlier, often while they’re still comparing options, whether they qualify for federal aid. → Read More
Why American Schools Are Even More Unequal Than We Thought
Economic disadvantage is often gauged by student eligibility for subsidized lunch, but this standard measure substantially understates the achievement gap. → Read More