Beyond Classroom Engagement: How Student-Initiated Faculty Interactions Shape Academic Success -- A Longitudinal Analysis Using NCES ELS:02 Data

Informal student-faculty interactions are often hailed as catalysts for academic engagement, yet their predictive power and equity implications remain unclear. Leveraging the nationally representative Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:02), this study investigates whether the frequency of student-initiated contacts predicts college GPA. To address selection bias, this study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models with a rich set of controls, particularly prior academic achievement. Subgroup analyses are then used to test for differential returns by race and socioeconomic status (SES).Results reveal a sharply non-linear relationship: moving from no contact to occasional contact is associated with a durable 2–3 percentile point GPA gain, while more frequent contact yields diminishing marginal returns. Furthermore, contrary to common theoretical expectations, these academic returns are surprisingly consistent across socioeconomic strata, not disproportionately benefiting any particular group. These findings refine theories of social capital in higher education and inform equity-focused mentoring initiatives by demonstrating that while encouraging contact may "lift all boats," such interventions are, by themselves, insufficient to close structural achievement gaps.