This report describes how six Colorado community colleges used $1.4 million of pandemic relief funding to support individuals pursuing short-term credentials. The authors examined state and college decisions about program eligibility, student eligibility, grant amounts, funding uses, and application requirements as well as outcomes for those…

The phenomenological research study explores the lived experience of Black first-generation college students navigating the financial aid process to understand how they experience the process of using financial aid to pay for college through degree attainment. Higher education is aligned with social and occupational mobility. Financial aid has its…

Nontuition expenses--including housing, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses, in addition to books and supplies--constitute a significant financial burden for many students pursuing higher education, even if they receive grant aid to help them pay tuition and fees. Well-designed policy interventions at both the federal and state levels…

A four-year college degree is associated with numerous positive outcomes for students, from increased average earning potential to opportunities for personal development. Yet, for individuals with disabilities, large medical bills and other disability-related expenses may make affording college especially difficult. This study used a convergent…

Many scholars have argued that it may be more costly to attend a far-away college than it is to attend a nearby college. If this is true, students who live in areas where colleges are few and far between may face higher costs than those with ample college options. This study assesses the plausibility of this line of reasoning by examining the…

Florida College System (FCS) institutions are among the nation's best public colleges. They provide open access to higher education and provide the primary access point to undergraduate education for many Floridians, including recent high school graduates and returning adult students. The 28 member colleges respond quickly and efficiently to meet…

Unexpected and emergency expenses remain a persistent barrier to on-time college completion and student success. A staggering number of students, particularly those enrolled in public 2-year and most Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), report they would be unable to come up with $500 within a month. As the demographic of college students becomes…

Background/purpose: Education has been heralded as a transformative tool essential for both individual and national development. Despite free education's aim to provide equitable access, significant gaps remain, particularly regarding financial stability, academic support, and living conditions. This study reports on the challenges of free…

Poverty levels, socioeconomic status, and financial aid are key factors influencing college graduation rates. This study examined enrollment and graduation data in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, North Carolina State University. The study revealed scholarships and work-study recipients graduated above the average graduation rate.…

This study examines how students' academic capital, knowledge, and attitudes toward mandatory fees, and university knowledge of financial structures influence their financial behaviors, specifically payment methods, within higher education system located in the southwest. Amid record enrollment of students in the southern region--including notable…

We examine changes in California's FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) applications during the COVID-19 crisis. There was little change in applications for high school graduates due to an early deadline for state aid. After the deadline--from early March to mid-August--FAFSA applications of potential college freshmen declined 14%,…

This dissertation investigates the impact of information and policy on the efficiency of higher education financing, particularly for low-income students in Latin America. Through three empirical studies, it addresses the barriers posed by information asymmetries and institutional discretion in student loan and college admission processes and…

The Administrative Capability Task Force was convened by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) to deliver a report containing recommendations that could provide better support for financial aid offices, ensuring they are able to meet administrative capability standards. The task force comprised a geographically…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the primary gatekeeper to secure financial aid for college. The federal government instituted two changes to the process in 2017, commonly known as "prior-prior year" FAFSA: (1) an earlier start date that lengthens the filing period and (2) the ability to use completed taxes from…

Influencing student enrollment behavior is an ongoing process. Institutions continually try to predict student college choice while at the same time trying to influence that choice. This article describes the enrollment goals for the incoming freshman class at the University of Oregon, and how a limited institutional financial aid budget was used…