Yang “Rachel” Zhou conducts quantitative research on the transitions from high school to college and the workforce, college persistence and performance, and the impact of financial aid programs on academic and labor market outcomes.
Zhou earned a PhD in the Economics and Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University and was a senior research assistant at CCRC. She received a master’s degree in economics from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Hong Kong.
Prior to joining CCRC, Zhou was a research assistant on higher education policy for the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, where she worked to assess the impact of minimum high school course requirements for college in North Carolina and to evaluate the effect of an aid program at an elite public university on postsecondary success. Currently, Zhou is a Research Data Specialist at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.