The impact of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program on college and post-college related choices of high ability, low-income minority students

In this paper we analyze the impact of the Gates Millennium Scholarship Program on several outcome variables using a regression discontinuity design. We find that GMS recipients have lower college loan debt and parental contributions toward college expenses and work fewer hours during college than non-recipients. We also find that GMS recipients have higher grade point averages in their junior year of college and are more likely to aspire to a Ph.D. degree than non-recipients.