College students do better when their courses use the newest research

A new study found that college courses using the latest research improve student outcomes. Students in these courses are more likely to graduate, get better grades, and earn more money after college.

Universities often focus on core subjects, assuming the specific content within a field matters less than the field itself. This study shows that teaching students the newest ideas in their field directly helps them graduate faster and earn more. It also turns out that students from wealthier backgrounds benefit even more from this 'frontier knowledge' in terms of graduate school and earnings. This could widen existing gaps.