Does Living Near Classmates Help Introductory Economics Students Get Better Grades?

This article examines whether first-year students in introductory economics courses get better grades if they have other students in their on-campus residential unit who either are taking the same course or have taken the course in the past. The study uses nine years of data for the introductory economics course at Reed College. The author finds that having dorm mates who are currently taking the class seems to have some benefit for students, but there is no evidence of benefit from having coresident students who have previously completed the class.

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