Does drinking impair college performance? Evidence from a regression discontinuity approach

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Public Economics
Year: 2011
Volume: 95
Issue: 1
Pages: 54-62

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

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.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:pubeco:v:95:y:2011:i:1:p:54-62
Journal Field
Public
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25