Gregory Wolniak
Clinical Associate Professor of Higher Education
Phone: (212) 998-5067
Email: gw44@nyu.edu
- Departments:
- Programs:
Curriculum Vitae/Syllabi:
Gregory Wolniak conducts research on the career and economic impacts of college, as well as the factors that influence students’ pathways into college. He is particularly interested in understanding how college students’ socioeconomic trajectories are affected by their experiences in college, their educational choices, and their institutional environments, and the degree to which learning and developmental gains students make during college translate to post-college outcomes. Wolniak is co-author on the recently-released 3rd volume of How College Affects Students (Wiley/Jossey-Bass), has published widely on the earnings effects of the college experience and has been Principal Investigator on numerous externally-funded projects, most recently receiving grants from the Spencer Foundation and the Access Group/Association for Institutional Research. Wolniak is on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, Teachers College Record, and Sociology of Education, with recent publications appearing in AERA Open, Teachers College Record, and Research in Higher Education. Prior to coming to NYU, Wolniak was a Senior Research Scientist with NORC at the University of Chicago. He received his doctorate in 2004 from the University of Iowa.
Education
- Ph.D. University of Iowa, Social Foundations of Education
- M.A. University of Illinois at Chicago, Economics
- B.S. Iowa State University, Economics
Media Coverage
Inside Higher Education (2018, March 27). Tuition Hikes Hurt Diversity: New study examines impact of tuition increases. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/03/27/increases-college-tuition-drive-down-diversity-public-colleges-study-says. By Rick Seltzer
MarketWatch (2017, May 3). Why you should look at the fine print when it comes to college costs. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-you-should-look-at-the-fine-print-when-it-comes-to-college-costs-2017-05-03. By Jillian Berman.
The Atlantic. (2017, January 24). The Most Predictive Factors of Post-Graduation Wages: How much do internships, majors, and institutions really matter for lifetime earnings? https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/01/the-most-predictive-factor-of-post-graduation-wages/514286/. By Mikhail Zinshteyn.
Education Writers Association (2017, January 24). 10 Things You Should Know About Earnings After College. http://www.ewa.org/blog-higher-ed-beat/10-things-you-should-know-about-earnings-after-college. By Mikail Zinshteyn.
Chronicle of Higher Education. (2016, December 16). Where Even Experts Can’t Figure Out Tuition Costs. http://www.chronicle.com/article/Where-Even-Experts-Can-t/238704. By Peter Schmidt.
The Atlantic. (2016, September 13). College Is Still the Promised Land for High School Students: Once they get on campus, though, it’s a whole different story. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/09/college-is-still-the-promised-land-for-high-school-students/499865/. By Hayley Glatter.
The Washington Free Beacon. (2016, September 13). Poll: American Youth Somehow Optimistic About Future: Nearly two-thirds ‘hopeful’ about years to come. http://freebeacon.com/politics/poll-american-youth-somehow-optimistic-future/. By Natalie Johnson.
Chronicle of Higher Education. (2015, May 15). Colleges Strive to Meet Demand for a More Hands-On Education. http://chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Strive-to-Meet-Demand/230189/?key=Gm0iI1dgYXlNYikxZ20VNThQbHU7OBtxMSdOan50blFVEg. By Maddy Berner.
CBS News MoneyWatch. (2015, April 23). The real keys to success for college grads.http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-real-keys-to-success-for-college-grads/. By Lynn O’Shaughnessy.
Hechinger Report. (2015, April 18). Rising tuition means falling diversity on campus. http://hechingerreport.org/tuition-rising-diversity-falling-at-universities/.By Jon Marcus.
Los Angeles Times. (2013, December 27). College recruiters give low-income public campuses fewer visits.http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/27/local/la-me-college-visits-20131228. By Larry Gordon.
Forbes. (2013, May 3). The Power of Resilience: Study Shows How Horatio Alger Association Scholarships Make A Difference.http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucerogers/2013/05/03/the-power-of-resilience-study-shows-how-horatio-alger-association-scholarships-make-a-difference/. By Bruce Rogers.
Inside Higher Education (2012, April 10).Backwards on Racial Understanding. http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/04/10/study-suggests-students-grow-less-interested-promoting-racial-understanding. By Scott Jaschik.
The Huffington Post. (2012, August 17). STEM Majors Prove Especially Profitable For Minority Students: Study. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/stem-majors-profitable-minority-students_n_1785021.html. By Patrice Peck.
Grants and Awards
- Understanding and Enhancing Career Development among Socially Mobile College Students. Funder: Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program. $179,800. Lead PI, 2017-2019.
- Strengthening the Graduate Education Pipeline through Diversity: Examining Factors that Influence Aspirations, Enrollment, and Completion. Funder: Access Group / AIR. $50,000. Lead PI, 2017-2018.
- Improving Transparency in College Costs: Examining College Attendance in the Era of Differential Tuition Practices. Funder: Spencer Foundation. $50,000. Lead PI, 2016-2017.
- The 2016 State of Our Nation’s Youth Study. Funder: Horatio Alger Association. $108,000. PI, 2015-2016.
- The Development of Affective Competencies: A multi-institutional study of pre-service teachers. Funder: Sanford Education Center, National University. $160,000. PI, 2015-2016.
- Examining the STEM Pipeline among Underrepresented and Disadvantaged College Students. Funder: The Center for Excellence in Survey Research. $18,500. PI, 2012-2013.
- The 2012 State of Our Nation’s Youth Study. Funder: Horatio Alger Association. $117,000. PI, 2011-2012.
- Understanding Educational Resilience and Factors Associated with College and Career Success. Funder: Horatio Alger Association. $330,000. PI, 2010-2012.
- Access to Postsecondary Education: The interrelationship among high school contexts and socioeconomic status. Funder: Association for Institutional Research, NSF, & NPEC Research Grant (Award number: RG10-144). $39,000. Co-PI, 2010-2011.
- High School Contexts and Postsecondary Outcomes: A Multilevel Analysis of ELS:2002. Funder: The Center for Excellence in Survey Research. $18,700. PI, 2009-2010.
Research
- Career and economic impacts of college
- Socioeconomics of higher education
- How college affects students
- Access and choice
Publications
- Wolniak, G.C., & Engberg, M.E. (in press). The Influence of “High-Impact” College Experiences on Early Career Outcomes. Review of Higher Education.
- Alen, D., & Wolniak, G.C. (2018). Exploring the Effects of Tuition Increases on Racial/Ethnic Diversity at Public Colleges and Universities. Research in Higher Education. Available "Online first" at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11162-018-9502-6.
- Seifert, T.A., Bowman, N.A., Wolniak, G.C., Rockenbach, A.N., & Mayhew, M.J. (2017). Ten Challenges and Recommendations for Advancing Research on the Effects of College on Students. AERA Open, 3(2), 1-12. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2332858417701683.
- Mayhew, M. J., Rockenbach, A.B., Bowman, N.A., Seifert, T.A., & Wolniak, G.C. (2016). How College Affects Students: 21st Century Evidence that Higher Education Works. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Wolniak, G.C. (2016). Examining STEM bachelor's degree completion for students with differing propensities at college entry. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice, 18(3), 287-309.
- Wells, R.C., Wolniak, G.C., Engberg, M.E., & Manly, C.A. (2016). Socioeconomic Disparities in the Use of college admission-enhancing strategies among high school seniors from the 1990s to 2000s. Teachers College Record, 118(9), 1-36.
- Wolniak, G.C., Wells, R.C., Engberg, M.E., & Manly, C.A. (2016). College enhancement strategies and socioeconomic inequality. Research in Higher Education, 57, 310-334.
- Wolniak, G.C., & Rekoutis, P.A. (2016). Factors associated with college coping among high achieving scholarship recipients from adverse backgrounds. Teachers College Record, 118, 1-31.
- Engberg, M.E., & Wolniak, G.C. (2014). An examination of the moderating effects of the high school socioeconomic context on college enrollment. The High School Journal, 97, 240-263.
- Bartolone, J., Halverson, M.L., Hoffer, T.B., Wolniak, G.C., et al. (2014). Evaluation of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Chicago, IL: NORC. (link)
- Hu, S., & Wolniak, G.C. (2013). College student engagement and early career earnings: Differences by gender, race/ethnicity, and academic preparation. Review of Higher Education, 36, 211-233.
- Engberg, M.E., & Wolniak, G.C. (2013). College student pathways to the STEM disciplines. Teachers College Record, 115, 1-27.
- Wolniak, G.C., Neishi, K.M., Rude, J.D., & Gebhardt, Z. (2012). The State of Our Nation’s Youth: 2012–2013. Alexandria, VA: Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. (link)
- Wolniak, G.C., Mayhew, M.J., & Engberg, M.E. (2012). Learning's weak link to persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 83, 795-823.
- Melguizo, T., & Wolniak, G.C. (2012). The earnings benefits of majoring in STEM fields among high achieving minority students. Research in Higher Education, 53, 383-405.
- Hu, S., & Wolniak, G.C. (2010). Initial evidence on the influence of college student engagement on early career earnings. Research in Higher Education, 52, 750-766.
- Wolniak, G.C., & Engberg, M.E. (2010). Academic achievement in the first year of college: Evidence of the pervasive effects of the high school context. Research in Higher Education, 51, 451-467.
- Engberg, M.E., & Wolniak, G.C. (2010). Examining the effects of high school contexts on postsecondary enrollment. Research in Higher Education, 51, 132-153.
- Engberg, M.E., & Wolniak, G.C. (2009). Navigating disparate pathways to college: Examining the conditional effects of race on enrollment decisions. Teachers College Record, 111, 2255-79.
- Wolniak, G.C., Seifert, T.A., Reed, E.J., & Pascarella, E.T. (2008). College majors and social mobility. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 26, 123-139.
- Mayhew, M.J., Wolniak, G.C., & Pascarella, E.T. (2008). How educational practices affect the development of life-long learning orientations in traditionally-aged undergraduate students. Research in Higher Education, 49, 337-356.
- Seifert, T.A., Goodman, K.M., Lindsay, N., Jorgensen, J., Wolniak, G.C., Pascarella, E.T., & Blaich, C. (2008). The effects of liberal arts experiences on liberal arts outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 49, 107-125.
- Wolniak, G.C., & Engberg, M.E. (2007). The effects of high school feeder networks on college enrollment. Review of Higher Education, 31, 27-53.
- Wolniak, G.C., & Pascarella, E.T. (2007). Initial evidence on the long-term impacts of Work Colleges. Research in Higher Education, 48, 39-71.
- Cruce, T.M., Wolniak, G.C., Seifert, T.A., & Pascarella, E.T. (2006). Impacts of good practices on cognitive development, learning orientations, and graduate degree plans during the first year of college. Journal of College Student Development, 47, 365-383.
- Pascarella, E.T., Cruce, T., Umbach, P.D., Wolniak, G.C., Kuh, G.D., Carini, R.M., Hayek, J.C., Gonyea, R. M., & Zhao, C. (2006). Institutional selectivity and good practices in undergraduate education: How strong is the link? Journal of Higher Education, 77, 251-285.
- Wolniak, G.C., & Pascarella, E.T. (2005). The effects of college major and job field congruence on job satisfaction. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67, 233-251.
- Pascarella, E.T., Pierson, C.T., Wolniak, G.C., & Terenzini, P.T. (2004). First-generation college students: Additional evidence on college experiences and outcomes. Journal of Higher Education, 75, 249-284.
- Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C., Cruce, T.M., & Blaich, C.F. (2004). Do liberal arts colleges really foster good practices in undergraduate education? Journal of College Student Development, 45, 57-74.
- Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C., Flowers, L.A., & Pierson, C.T. (2004). The role of race in the development of plans for a graduate degree. Review of Higher Education, 27, 299-320.
- Pascarella, E.T., & Wolniak, G.C. (2004). Change or not to change – Is there a question? A response to Pike. Journal of College Student Development, 45, 353-355.
- Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C., & Pierson, C.T. (2003). Influences on community college students’ educational plans. Research in Higher Education, 44, 301-314.
- Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C., Pierson, C.T., & Terenzini, P.T. (2003). Experiences and outcomes of first-generation students in community colleges: A research note. Journal of College Student Development, 44, 420-429.
- Pascarella, E.T., Wolniak, G.C., & Pierson, C.T. (2003). Explaining student growth in college when you don’t think you are. Journal of College Student Development, 44, 122-125.
- Pierson, C.T., Wolniak, G.C., Pascarella, E.T., & Flowers, L.A. (2003). Impacts of two-year and four-year college attendance on learning orientations. Review of Higher Education, 26, 299-321.
- Wolniak, G.C., Pierson, C.T., & Pascarella, E.T. (2001). Effects of intercollegiate athletic participation on male orientations toward learning. Journal of College Student Development, 42, 604–624.
Courses Taught
- Economics and Finance in Higher Education, HPSE-GE 3110
- Enrollment Management and Retention Programs in Higher Education, HPSE-GE 2070
- Research Approaches and Techniques in Postsecondary Education, HPSE-GE 2088
- The Impact of College on Students, HPSE-GE 2068
- IES-Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Training (IES-PIRT) Seminar on Causal Inference in Education, APSY-GE 3901
Boards
- Association for Institutional Research, External Review Panelist
- NCES - Institute of Education Sciences, External Review Panelist
- Journal of Higher Education, Editorial Board
- Research in Higher Education, Editorial Board
- Sociology of Education, Editorial Board
- Teachers College Record, Editorial Board