During times when labor market opportunities are few, the opportunity
cost and risks of education diminish, resulting in an increase in
educational enrollment. Although this ho­­lds for the entire population,
there is a more steady increase in immediate college enrollment after
high school over time, regardless of the impact of the Great Recession.
Simultaneously, the net costs of education have grown, increasing the
importance of families’ resources. This research examines whether the
Great Recession has resulted in differences in socioeconomic
inequalities in college enrollment in the United States. The results of
the analysis of 2006-2013 high school graduation cohorts with data from
the Panel Study on Income Dynamics show that female graduates from
low-income families were more sensitive to changes in opportunity costs,
evidenced by their increasing college enrollment, whereas male
graduates whose parents held a college degree decreased their
enrollment. Furthermore, the increase in enrollment, regardless of
family background, was associated with the volume of the change in
unemployment. Therefore, in addition to the tremendous negative impacts
the Great Recession had on families and individuals, it had a positive
influence on intergenerational inequalities in college enrollment,
particularly benefiting disadvantaged families.