The Effects of Exposure to a Large-Scale Recession on Higher Education and Early Labor Market Outcomes

<h3>Abstract</h3> This study examines the effects of timing of exposure to the Asian financial crisis on higher education and early labor market outcomes. We estimate a generalized difference-in-differences model exploiting variation in age at exposure and regional severity of the recession in South Korea. Using the Census and Youth Panel data, we find that individuals from hard-hit regions are less likely to attain a college education, tend to shift away from humanities to STEM majors, and have lower-quality first jobs, than their peers in the same cohort. These effects are more pronounced among individuals who experienced the recession at younger ages.