Literature Review #3

"How Undergraduate Loan Debt Affects Application and Enrollment in Graduate or First        Professional School"

Millett, Catherine M. "How undergraduate loan debt affects application and enrollment in graduate or first professional school." The Journal of Higher Education 74.4 (2003): 386-427.

In "How Undergraduate Loan Debt Affects Application and Enrollment in Graduate or First Professional School," Catherine Millett discusses one of her studies, which focuses on the effect of undergraduate debt on a student's likelihood of enrolling in graduate or professional school. Through her research, she found that undergraduate indebtedness discourages students from applying to graduate school. She also found that an individual's socioeconomic status plays a major role in their ability to apply and attend a higher education institution. 

Catherine M. Millett

Catherine M. Millett is a senior research scientist in the Policy Evaluation and Research Center at Educational Testing Service, or ETS, in Princeton, New Jersey. Most of her research focuses on educational equity, student performance and achievement and educational access. Millett's involvement in educational programs and support services makes her a credible source for my research paper.

Key Terms:

• "Foregone Income or Earnings:" the amount of money achieved vs. the amount of money that could have been achieved with the absence of fees.
• "Indebtedness:" having to make repayments.

Quotations: 

• "The rather large gap between the high degree expectations of recent bachelor's degree recipients and their low rate of enrolling in graduate school raises questions about how accessible graduate education is to recent U.S. college graduates" (Millett 389).
• "One predictor of enrollment in graduate or first professional school that may offset the influence of undergraduate debt is the offer of financial aid" (Millett 394). 
• "On the basis of this research, students with relatively high foregone income can be less likely to apply or less likely to enroll in graduate or professional school than students with comparatively low foregone incomes" (Millett 418). 

Value: 
Although this research was performed years ago, I believe that it gives a clear understanding of the effects of undergraduate debt on students. Undergraduate indebtedness still continues to be a factor that students consider before determining what their next steps in life will be. Through her research, Millett found that those with high levels of loan debt are less likely to attend graduate school; however, the importance of a master's and doctoral degree in today's workforce, has led students to attend graduate or professional school regardless of the amount of debt they are already in.