Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 61 - 90 of 155

Full-Text Articles in Education

Exploring Idr: A Comparison Of Financial Situations And Behaviors Between Those In Traditional Student Loan Repayment And Those In Income-Driven Repayment, Daniel A. Collier Jan 2020

Exploring Idr: A Comparison Of Financial Situations And Behaviors Between Those In Traditional Student Loan Repayment And Those In Income-Driven Repayment, Daniel A. Collier

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This quantitative, exploratory study (N=266) examines: (1) financial differences between those enrolled in student-loan based Traditional and Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) schemes, (2) factors that link to IDR enrollment, and (3) whether IDR correlates to the likelihood of reporting to save zero dollars in savings and retirement and in being a homeowner. Descriptive tests indicated differences in loan and earnings-related measurements, and other financial differences, favoring those in traditional repayment. Logistic regression reporting Marginal Effects suggested enrollment in IDR correlated with student loan debt starting at $60,000 and upward (ME=0.41-0.59) and income (ME=0.52-0.36) - with lower-middle to middle-income earners being most …


Do High Cohort Default Rates Affect Student Living Allowances And Debt Burdens? An Empirical Analysis, Robert Kelchen Dec 2019

Do High Cohort Default Rates Affect Student Living Allowances And Debt Burdens? An Empirical Analysis, Robert Kelchen

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The federal government holds colleges accountable for their students’ cohort default rates (CDRs), with colleges facing the potential loss of all federal financial aid dollars if their CDRs are too high for three consecutive years. Yet a sizable portion of student borrowing is for non-tuition living expenses—funds that the college does not get to keep. In this paper, I examine whether colleges at risk of federal sanctions due to high CDRs respond by reducing living allowances in an effort to limit borrowing and if student debt burdens decrease after a college receives a high default rate. Using data from public …


Experiencing Financial Aid At A Historically White Institution: A Critical Race Analysis, Liane I. Hypolite, Antar A. Tichavakunda Dec 2019

Experiencing Financial Aid At A Historically White Institution: A Critical Race Analysis, Liane I. Hypolite, Antar A. Tichavakunda

Journal of Student Financial Aid

While scholars have looked at the intersection of financial aid and various identities, little work has examined how, if at all, race and racism are imbued into financial aid in higher education using qualitative inquiry. This paper begins that work by using a Critical Race Theory lens to analyze how, in the seemingly colorblind structure and process of financial aid, race matters. Using interview data collected from 35 Black juniors and seniors at a selective, historically White institution (HWI), the authors examine how race has informed students’ perceptions of themselves, their families, and their futures through their experiences with financial …


Crushing Debt Or Savvy Strategy? Financial Literacy And Student Perceptions Of Their Student Loan Debt, Gail Markle Dec 2019

Crushing Debt Or Savvy Strategy? Financial Literacy And Student Perceptions Of Their Student Loan Debt, Gail Markle

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Almost three quarters of American college students use loans to fund their college education, although according to public discourse student debt is a critical problem. Grounded in social reproduction theory and consumer socialization theory this study examines the influence of financial literacy on students’ college financing decisions, perceptions of student loan debt, and education-related behavior. A sample of 429 undergraduate students selected using systematic cluster sampling from a large public university in the southeast completed a survey containing closed and open ended questions. Participants reported moderate levels of financial literacy (72.3%) and student loan awareness (62.7%). Only 20% of students …


Social Dimensions Of Student Debt: A Data Mining Analysis, Dirk Witteveen, Paul Attewell Oct 2019

Social Dimensions Of Student Debt: A Data Mining Analysis, Dirk Witteveen, Paul Attewell

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Media commentary on undergraduates' loan debt portrays a crisis in which many students are unable to pay back their loans, having borrowed large sums and lacking sufficient post-college income to repay. Several scholars have questioned the media accounts, noting that indebtedness is highest among students from high income families, while defaults predominate among low debt students. Using a data mining technique known as CART, we analyze national data on the indebtedness of recent baccalaureate graduates, to uncover combinations of social characteristics that are associated with loan pressure: the ratio of indebtedness to post-college earnings. We find that students from lower …


Tuition Discounting At Small, Private, Baccalaureate Institutions: Reaching A Point Of No Return?, Luke Behaunek, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf Jul 2019

Tuition Discounting At Small, Private, Baccalaureate Institutions: Reaching A Point Of No Return?, Luke Behaunek, Ann M. Gansemer-Topf

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This paper describes relationships between tuition discounting (TD), net tuition revenue, and other institutional characteristics at four-year, liberal arts institutions. TD, a practice whereby institutional grants are used to subsidize a student’s educational expense, has become a common practice at four-year institutions. TDs impact on enrollments, financial aid, and budgets continues to increase, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the practice. Drawing upon Breneman’s (1994) economic theory of four-year private institutions, this research examined trends in student characteristics, enrollment, institutional grants, and net tuition revenue (NTR) and the relationship between TD practices NTR. Analyzing panel data of four-year, small, …


Take It, Or Leave It? Analyzing How Unsubsidized Federal Loans Affect Six-Year Degree Attainment Across Income Groups, Ray Franke Jul 2019

Take It, Or Leave It? Analyzing How Unsubsidized Federal Loans Affect Six-Year Degree Attainment Across Income Groups, Ray Franke

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This study examined the effects of unsubsidized federal Stafford loans on six-year degree attainment at 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S., and how these differentially impact students across income groups. For this, nationally representative data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS:04/09) and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) was merged to analyze N=6,561 students attending n=651 four-year institutions. To account for possible selection bias in loan borrowing and the nested data structure, this study employs a propensity score matching, multilevel modeling approach. In addition to financial aid measures, the analytic model draws from the heterogeneous research approach and …


A Case Study Of Undergraduate Debt, Repayment Plans, And Postbaccalaureate Decision-Making Among Black Students At Hbcus, Dominique J. Baker Jun 2019

A Case Study Of Undergraduate Debt, Repayment Plans, And Postbaccalaureate Decision-Making Among Black Students At Hbcus, Dominique J. Baker

Journal of Student Financial Aid

High payments and default on undergraduate debt have consequences; they are of national concern if aversion to debt deters students from making optimal postbaccalaureate decisions on postbaccalaureate educational aspirations, enrollment, and early-career occupation. I conducted two semi-structured interviews, near graduation and six months later, with six recent graduates of an HBCU who borrowed at some point in their undergraduate career and were required to complete federal exit counseling. I found that the relationship between undergraduate debt and postbaccalaureate decision-making is partially explained by the themes of timing and structure of information, family as a source of knowledge, comfort with the …


Reassessing The Role Of Federal Aid Policy In Financing 21st Century Higher Education For Underserved Groups: Recent Trends, Contemporary Problems, And New Proposals, Gabriel R. Serna Jun 2019

Reassessing The Role Of Federal Aid Policy In Financing 21st Century Higher Education For Underserved Groups: Recent Trends, Contemporary Problems, And New Proposals, Gabriel R. Serna

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This review explores the expanding role of federal aid policy considered from a contemporary and social justice perspective. It highlights recent trends in aid policy as well as difficulties that arise from the current system. Next, the review takes up an analysis of current aid policy that carefully considers equity and efficiency as primary criteria for funding public higher education. Through a meticulous review of the most up-to-date literature and data it then moves on to new proposals to increase equity, efficiency, and effectiveness with an eye toward increasing access and attainment. Indeed, a general takeaway from this review is …


Changes In Hbcu Financial Aid And Student Enrollment After The Tightening Of Plus Credit Standards, Matthew T. Johnson, Julie Bruch, Brian Gill Jun 2019

Changes In Hbcu Financial Aid And Student Enrollment After The Tightening Of Plus Credit Standards, Matthew T. Johnson, Julie Bruch, Brian Gill

Journal of Student Financial Aid

We analyze changes in financial aid and student enrollment at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that occurred after the U.S. Department of Education increased the credit history requirements necessary to obtain Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). We use institution-level data to examine financial aid and enrollment changes in the first two academic years affected by the new credit standards (2012-13 and 2013-14). The results show that PLUS loans declined substantially at HBCUs in 2012-13, and the decreases were not fully replaced by other types of federal financial aid. HBCUs also experienced larger declines in enrollment than other institutions …


Investing In Education: Impact Of Student Financial Stress On Self-Reported Health, Stephen Poplaski, Randy Kemnitz, Cliff A. Robb Jun 2019

Investing In Education: Impact Of Student Financial Stress On Self-Reported Health, Stephen Poplaski, Randy Kemnitz, Cliff A. Robb

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Through the lens of Human Capital theory, the role of financial aid (both amount and type) is explored in the context of student financial stress, and ultimately general student health. Data are taken from a sample of 232 students from a major Midwestern university who were surveyed about their financial attitudes, behavior and knowledge. The presence and amount of federal loans was associated with self-reported financial stress, and the validated stress measure was further associated with students’ self-reported health. A number of personal life events (i.e. job loss) were also associated with higher stress levels. Implications are discussed.


Different And The Same: A Comparison Of Vertical And Lateral Transfer Students., Joshua Harris Mckee May 2019

Different And The Same: A Comparison Of Vertical And Lateral Transfer Students., Joshua Harris Mckee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As more students evaluate their choice for higher education, the rate of transfer students continues to grow. The transfer population is often addressed broadly in research studies, and few examine differences among the population. This study was designed to analyze the differences in transfer shock and retention rates between students who transferred from a community college to a four-year institution (vertical) versus those who transferred from one four-year institution to another (lateral). Participants of this study consisted of 1,032 students who transferred to the University of Louisville during the fall 2014, 2015, and 2016 semesters. Results indicated, when controlling for …


Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of The Interplay Of Factors Affecting Burnout In Academic Medical Faculty., Tara Mckinley May 2019

Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of The Interplay Of Factors Affecting Burnout In Academic Medical Faculty., Tara Mckinley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines burnout in academic medical faculty. The medical literature reports 30-45% of physicians are burned out and presents a long list of potential drivers of burnout. Interventions have shown limited success at the individual level and greater success at the organizational level, but large-scale interventions are typically time- and cost-intensive. Using the Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R) and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study seeks to present the ways personal, interpersonal, and job characteristics are interpreted as demands or resources by faculty and how those demands and resources work together to drive or mitigate burnout. Over six chapters, this …


Financial Aid Packaging At Community Colleges: Which Types Of Awards Packages Increase Student Persistence?, Maria Luna-Torres, Lyle Mckinney, Andrea Backscheider Burridge, Catherine Horn, Sara J. Jones Jan 2019

Financial Aid Packaging At Community Colleges: Which Types Of Awards Packages Increase Student Persistence?, Maria Luna-Torres, Lyle Mckinney, Andrea Backscheider Burridge, Catherine Horn, Sara J. Jones

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Increasing college costs, coupled with decreasing financial aid has raised public concerns over the affordability of higher education. For the past four decades, the nation has seen the cost of tuition rise at levels that exceed inflation, and financial assistance rates that have not kept pace with that growth. Studies suggest that these financial resources play a role in influencing college attendance decisions and persistence for low-income students. This study examines the characteristics of zero-EFC students as compared to non-zero EFC students and determines the extent to which a gift-aid only, and gift-aid plus loans awards package affects the likelihood …


Factors Influencing The Retention Of Women Faculty In Stem Disciplines., Carrie J. Christensen May 2018

Factors Influencing The Retention Of Women Faculty In Stem Disciplines., Carrie J. Christensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Low numbers of women faculty in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines continues to be a concern in higher education. Even though completion of STEM degrees by women has increased in many disciplines, increases in the number of women faculty have not been seen. Additionally, women continue to leave faculty positions at twice the rate of men. In order to remain globally competitive, the US needs to retain a diverse STEM professoriate. This dissertation examined the factors influencing the retention of women faculty in STEM disciplines and their over-representation in non-research intensive institutions. The analysis was broken into two …


Editor's Column, Jacob P. Gross Apr 2018

Editor's Column, Jacob P. Gross

Journal of Student Financial Aid

N/A


Institutional Variation In Enrollment Of Low-Income Students, James Monks Apr 2018

Institutional Variation In Enrollment Of Low-Income Students, James Monks

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Socioeconomic diversity in tertiary education has come under heightened scrutiny in the past few years. This paper estimates the relationship between prices (both sticker price and net price), financial aid policies, and selectivity on the variation of low-income students across postsecondary institutions. All three factors are significant in identifying variation across postsecondary institutions in the representation of Pell Grant recipients as a percentage of an institution’s entering class. A focus on net price alone ignores the correlation between sticker price, selectivity, and financial aid policies on low-income students’ enrollment outcomes.


Students’ Perspectives On A Gap-Funded Program: The Community Scholarship Program Of Mccracken County, Kentucky, Karen R. Hlinka, Kevin L. Gericke, S. Renea Akin, Lisa G. Stephenson Apr 2018

Students’ Perspectives On A Gap-Funded Program: The Community Scholarship Program Of Mccracken County, Kentucky, Karen R. Hlinka, Kevin L. Gericke, S. Renea Akin, Lisa G. Stephenson

Journal of Student Financial Aid

In 2010, McCracken County, Kentucky implemented the Community Scholarship Program (CSP) to provide graduates of high schools in the county an opportunity to receive a tuition-free community college education. Quantitative data was collected throughout the various stages of student progress through the program. As the first cohort of CSP students approached graduation from West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) in Spring 2016, we initiated a qualitative study. We interviewed 19 of the 88 continuously enrolled students from the first CSP cohort in a series of three focus groups in February and March of 2016. Those group interviews focused on …


Understanding Loan Use And Debt Burden Among Low-Income And Minority Students At A Large Urban Community College, Maria Luna-Torres, Lyle Mckinney, Catherine Horn, Sara Jones Apr 2018

Understanding Loan Use And Debt Burden Among Low-Income And Minority Students At A Large Urban Community College, Maria Luna-Torres, Lyle Mckinney, Catherine Horn, Sara Jones

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This study examined a sample of community college students from a diverse, large urban community college system in Texas. To gain a deeper understanding about the effects of background characteristics on student borrowing behaviors and enrollment outcomes, the study employed descriptive statistics and regression techniques to examine two separate samples of students consisting of 1) loan recipients and 2) non-loan recipients. Chen’s heterogeneous research model served as the conceptual framework in the selection of predictors of interest and outcome variables. This study primarily focused on the relationship between borrowing and enrollment outcomes of low-income and racially/ethnically diverse students. Results show …


Guest Editors’ Conclusions: Financial Aid Practitioner-Researcher Partnerships: Lessons From The Field, Rajeev Darolia, Justin Chase Brown Nov 2017

Guest Editors’ Conclusions: Financial Aid Practitioner-Researcher Partnerships: Lessons From The Field, Rajeev Darolia, Justin Chase Brown

Journal of Student Financial Aid

N/A


Financial Aid Research: The Nexus Of Academic, Practitioner, And Policy Work, Donald E. Heller Nov 2017

Financial Aid Research: The Nexus Of Academic, Practitioner, And Policy Work, Donald E. Heller

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Academic research often does not find its way into the policy arena because of the nature of the work. Policymakers often find journal articles and academic books too long, difficult to understand, and lacking in policy-relevant ideas and recommendations. This article provides suggestions to academic and other researchers on how to make their research policy relevant and most likely to have an impact on policy and practice.


The Importance Of Partnerships In State Financial Aid Research, Sarah Pingel, Dustin Weeden Nov 2017

The Importance Of Partnerships In State Financial Aid Research, Sarah Pingel, Dustin Weeden

Journal of Student Financial Aid

In this essay, we explore the importance of state financial aid programs for both states and the students they serve. Effective state financial aid policy benefits from rigorous research that engages partners from a variety of roles, such as state agencies, legislative staff, and intermediary organizations. It also benefits from the engagement of financial aid professionals. This essay supports the key role played by each of these stakeholders in the execution and dissemination of research projects related to state aid programs.


Guest Editors’ Introduction: Strengthening Financial Aid Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships, Justin Chase Brown, Rajeev Darolia Nov 2017

Guest Editors’ Introduction: Strengthening Financial Aid Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships, Justin Chase Brown, Rajeev Darolia

Journal of Student Financial Aid

N/A


Nudging Students Beyond The Fafsa: The Impact Of University Outreach On Financial Aid Behaviors And Outcomes, Benjamin L. Castleman, Katharine E. Meyer, Zachary Sullivan, William D. Hartog, Scott Miller Nov 2017

Nudging Students Beyond The Fafsa: The Impact Of University Outreach On Financial Aid Behaviors And Outcomes, Benjamin L. Castleman, Katharine E. Meyer, Zachary Sullivan, William D. Hartog, Scott Miller

Journal of Student Financial Aid

A growing body of research indicates that proactive outreach from high schools and college access organizations about college preparation tasks, and specifically focusing on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), results in increased college enrollment. Comparatively less attention has been paid to the role of colleges and universities in this outreach and outreach relating to additional financial aid barriers that students face while applying to college, such as the CSS PROFILE form. In this article we investigated, through an inter-university collaboration, the effect of sending targeted, semi-personalized text messages to students during the college application process about …


Ask And You Might Not Receive: How Ferpa’S Disclosure Provisions Can Affect Educational Research, Lindsey Tonsager, Caleb W. Skeath Nov 2017

Ask And You Might Not Receive: How Ferpa’S Disclosure Provisions Can Affect Educational Research, Lindsey Tonsager, Caleb W. Skeath

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulates how schools collect, use, and disclose student information, including disclosures to third-party educational researchers. This article examines how educational researchers can structure their activities to reduce the risk of violating FERPA’s disclosure restrictions. In order to do so, we present two options for researchers to consider: utilizing de-identified student information that does not fall within the scope of FERPA, or complying with FERPA by securing prior consent for student information disclosure or qualifying for an exception from FERPA’s consent requirement. The article’s discussion of these options includes an overview of FERPA’s …


Non-U.S. Citizen, Community College Students: Their Federal Student Aid Status, Gender, Achievement, And Persistence At An Emerging Hsi, Jafeth E. Sanchez, Jeannette Smith Nov 2017

Non-U.S. Citizen, Community College Students: Their Federal Student Aid Status, Gender, Achievement, And Persistence At An Emerging Hsi, Jafeth E. Sanchez, Jeannette Smith

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This study presents a quantitative, exploratory analysis of 535 students attending Truckee Meadows Community College in Northern Nevada who were eligible or ineligible for federal student aid and were non-U.S. citizens. Within a snapshot of the Fall 2015 through Fall 2016 semesters, we examined the variables of gender, grade point average (GPA), credits earned, type of financial aid, amount of financial aid, persistence, and graduation status of these two groups via a collaboration between two institutions. Results revealed no statistically significant differences by gender. Non-U.S. citizens attained similar GPAs regardless of eligibility for aid, but there were differences in credit …


Federal Pell Grant Eligibility And Receipt: Explaining Nonreceipt And Changes To Efc Using National And Institutional Data, Brent J. Evans, Tuan D. Nguyen, Brent B. Tener, Chanell L. Thomas Nov 2017

Federal Pell Grant Eligibility And Receipt: Explaining Nonreceipt And Changes To Efc Using National And Institutional Data, Brent J. Evans, Tuan D. Nguyen, Brent B. Tener, Chanell L. Thomas

Journal of Student Financial Aid

In examining national data on Federal Pell Grant eligibility in the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), we were puzzled to discover that many students who appear to have eligible Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) do not receive the award. We use institutional data from a large public university to understand and enumerate changes from initial Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) EFC to final Pell Grant EFC and explore why EFC changes occur. We determine that the nonreceipt of Pell Grant observed in NPSAS is likely due to NPSAS not reporting final Pell Grant EFCs. We examine how the …


Uncovering Barriers To Financial Capability: Underrepresented Students’ Access To Financial Resources, Brenda Eichelberger, Heather Mattioli, Rachel Foxhoven Nov 2017

Uncovering Barriers To Financial Capability: Underrepresented Students’ Access To Financial Resources, Brenda Eichelberger, Heather Mattioli, Rachel Foxhoven

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Financial aid is designed to increase access to postsecondary education at all socioeconomic levels; however, college students are not always knowledgeable about personal finances or capable of making sound decisions regarding complex college and program choices, debt options, and long-term spending. This article reviews previous research on the need for financial literacy training among underrepresented students and the barriers caused by inadequate access to financial services and information. Studies reviewed explore (a) the abilities of underrepresented students to make informed financial decisions; (b) the disadvantages faced by minority and first-generation students compared to their more advantaged peers; and (c) the …


Roadmap Connecting Researchers And Practitioners To Relevance For Postsecondary Policy Interests, Zakiya W. Smith Nov 2017

Roadmap Connecting Researchers And Practitioners To Relevance For Postsecondary Policy Interests, Zakiya W. Smith

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Those interested in positioning research to be used by policymakers or funded by foundations often wonder how best to do so. Foundation and policy interests can intersect, as philanthropy and policy both aim to provide solutions to big societal problems. This article explores themes from federal financial aid policy, in particular, suggesting that relevance can come from attention to the national mood, aligning solutions with identified problems, and condensing ideas for more immediate connection.


It All Adds Up: Examining And Enhancing Campus Climate For Affordability At A Four-Year University, Kevin R. Mcclure, Andrew J. Ryder, Andrew J. Mauk Aug 2017

It All Adds Up: Examining And Enhancing Campus Climate For Affordability At A Four-Year University, Kevin R. Mcclure, Andrew J. Ryder, Andrew J. Mauk

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This study examined undergraduate students’ perceptions of non-academic spending in college and how they navigated these expenses. Using a mixed-methods study at a public comprehensive university in the southeastern United States, we conceptualized these perceptions as a central component of campus climate for affordability in college. Findings demonstrated that campus policies, practices, and spaces facilitated non-academic spending and exacerbated students’ perceptions that college is unaffordable. Non-academic and social costs were more expensive than students anticipated, and many students struggled to manage their money and cover these costs. Students shared a range of strategies to navigate non-academic expenses, from opting out …