This study explores the experiences of first- and second-year first-generation college students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) related to the college admissions process and finding financial aid. This applies the digital divide to determine whether the three levels of the digital divide still impact first-generation…

Few people in the U.S. have adequate finances for college tuition. Many scholarships, grants, federal loans, and work study funds are connected to students through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA also connects students to free tuition in the form of Promise programs offered in some U.S. states. Many students of varying…

Institutional merit-based financial aid awards are widely utilized by enrollment management practitioners to attract and retain students desired by the institution and to increase net tuition revenue. While much research has been conducted on federal need-based aid and statewide merit aid, relatively few studies have been conducted on merit aid…

Despite high prices, many college students do not re-file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or file late, making college less affordable. Low-cost technological interventions delivering personalized information and/or advising may improve refiling and academic outcomes, but questions remain regarding the efficacy of this…

Barriers to accessing financial aid may keep students from matriculating to college. To test whether FAFSA completion is one of these barriers, I utilize a natural experiment brought about by a Louisiana mandate for seniors to file the FAFSA upon graduation from high school. Exploiting pre-treatment FAFSA completion rates as a treatment intensity…

As centres of higher learning, universities have a unique imperative to promote diversity and inclusion on their campuses. While a supportive campus environment promotes students" intercultural competence and a sense of belonging in the university's community, a lack of intentional policy structure impedes campus inclusion. This paper aims to…

This report shares Fall 2024 Student Financial Wellness survey (SFWS) results from more than 53,000 undergraduate students at 104 institutions across the country. It highlights student financial security, basic needs security, academic disruptions, personas as workers or parents, and perceptions of the return on investment. The findings presented…

Research shows the economic benefits of postsecondary degree attainment, including higher earnings and lifetime wages. However, the full cost of college attendance is too high for most students even after receiving tuition assistance, such as grants and scholarships, making access to college inequitable, especially for low-income students and…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate and doctoral programs experience consistently high attrition rates. Moreover, persistent disparities exist in gender and racial representation. Students from historically excluded backgrounds have lower retention rates than white and Asian American students. To date, little work has…

The process of accreditation in higher education, which is the primary gatekeeper of federal financial aid dollars, is overdue for reform. The Trump administration has committed to using accreditation reform to overhaul the system of accountability for college and universities. An executive order in April 2025 indicated that among other changes,…

This study investigates the financial literacy of college student-athletes, a group facing unique financial challenges and opportunities, particularly with the growth of name, image, and likeness deals. Using data from the 2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this research compares the financial literacy levels of student-athletes to…

This article provides remarks delivered by Gen. Mark Brown, Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid on September 19, 2019 at the 2019 National College Access Network (NCAN) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gen. Brown granted JCA permission to reprint his remarks.

Hossler and Gallagher's college choice model is a foundational model for understanding students' college choice experience. Various scholars have critiqued the model for assuming that all students have equitable access to college information and resources. Therefore, building on the literature on Latinx undocumented students college access…

For decades, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms were processed electronically by the legacy Central Processing System. In 2021 the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) initiated a system development effort and in December 2023 deployed a new system to process forms for the 2024-2025 school year. However, student aid…

In response to rising college tuition and student debt over the past three decades, some institutions, localities, and states have implemented a range of tuition-free promise programs to promote college access and success. Programs vary widely in their design features, including eligibility stipulations and award structure. I explore the growing…