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Articles 1 - 30 of 145
Full-Text Articles in Education
Finance And Financial Aid For Postsecondary Education In Prison: Introduction To The Special Issue, David Pitts, Melissa Whatley
Finance And Financial Aid For Postsecondary Education In Prison: Introduction To The Special Issue, David Pitts, Melissa Whatley
Journal of Student Financial Aid
This article provides a brief introduction to the special issue on finance and financial aid for postsecondary education in prison.
Filling Potholes In Pell’S Road To Reentry Success, James Monogan
Filling Potholes In Pell’S Road To Reentry Success, James Monogan
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Pell eligibility for incarcerated people is a great rehabilitative opportunity, but several challenges remain. This article recaps five of the issues identified by the original research articles in this special issue. It also considers how solutions proposed in these studies may be beneficial across a variety of these issues and gathers recommendations together by which actor could implement them. Problems and solutions are corroborated by the author’s personal experience with incarceration.
Filling Critical Gaps For College In Prison Programs: Strategies From Two Community Based Organizations, Sara Alpert, Rachel Zolensky, Shon Holman-Wheatley
Filling Critical Gaps For College In Prison Programs: Strategies From Two Community Based Organizations, Sara Alpert, Rachel Zolensky, Shon Holman-Wheatley
Journal of Student Financial Aid
When the federal government banned incarcerated students from accessing Pell Grants in the mid-1990s, a new model for supporting Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs emerged– utilizing Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) as third-party facilitators to fill the gaps left behind in the absence of federal financial aid. With the long-awaited reinstatement of Pell for incarcerated learners that went into effect in 2023, it is essential to consider the critical role that CBOs have played in supporting college programming in the absence of Pell and how they can continue to be leveraged to ensure quality and access for Prison Education Programs (PEPs) …
Minding The Gap: Building Equitable, Accessible, And Sustainable Prison Education Programs In Pennsylvania, Isaiah Zukowski, Rodger C. Benefiel Jr., Liana K. Cole
Minding The Gap: Building Equitable, Accessible, And Sustainable Prison Education Programs In Pennsylvania, Isaiah Zukowski, Rodger C. Benefiel Jr., Liana K. Cole
Journal of Student Financial Aid
The reinstatement of Pell grant eligibility for incarcerated individuals marks a pivotal moment in the landscape of higher education in prison (HEP) programming in the United States. However, despite this promising development, financial barriers persist, hindering the growth and sustainability of HEP initiatives. This qualitative study delves into the challenges faced by faculty, staff, and administrators within Pennsylvania's colleges and universities as they establish and operate HEP programs amidst an evolving funding environment. Drawing on interviews with nine HEP administrators across the state, we explore obstacles they confront, ranging from the Pell grant funding gap to logistical hurdles such as …
The Unrealized Promise Of College-In-Prison: Financial Hurdles To Reenrollment And Completion In The Era Of Pell Reinstatement, Julia Bowling, Pavithra Nagarajan, Kristen Parsons, Neal A. Palmer
The Unrealized Promise Of College-In-Prison: Financial Hurdles To Reenrollment And Completion In The Era Of Pell Reinstatement, Julia Bowling, Pavithra Nagarajan, Kristen Parsons, Neal A. Palmer
Journal of Student Financial Aid
College-in-prison programs are positioned to expand substantially under the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for people in prison. While this change will enable more students who have been systemically excluded from higher education to attend college, degree completion is rare during incarceration and post-release. Student perspectives can shed light on both the value of college-in-prison and the financial barriers to realizing its value. This study analyzes data from 12 focus groups with 105 total college-in-prison student participants, 114 student survey responses, and 45 stakeholder interviews. The data were collected between 2018-2022 during a process evaluation of the College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative, …
“I Don’T Even Know What That Is”: Deprivation, Censorship, And Responsibility In Administering The Pell Grant In Prison, Erin L. Castro, Cydney Y. Caradonna, Mary R. Gould
“I Don’T Even Know What That Is”: Deprivation, Censorship, And Responsibility In Administering The Pell Grant In Prison, Erin L. Castro, Cydney Y. Caradonna, Mary R. Gould
Journal of Student Financial Aid
The violence of incarceration creates greater responsibility for higher education administrators in supporting students who are in prison. Using focus group data with incarcerated students and formerly incarcerated alumni who participated in or are actively participating in Second Chance Pell, we explore their perceptions and understandings of the Pell Grant and eligibility for the Pell Grant, including lifetime eligibility used limits. Through a lens of Witnessing, we argue that deprivation and censorship of information negatively influence students’ access to accurate and timely information about federal student aid and their ability to fully participate in the process. Accordingly, college and university …
Undergraduate Participation In Paid And Unpaid Internships By Income Level, Katie N. Smith
Undergraduate Participation In Paid And Unpaid Internships By Income Level, Katie N. Smith
Journal of Student Financial Aid
This research brief uses publicly available data from the 2016/2017 Baccalaureate and Beyond survey to examine individual and institutional predictors of participation in paid and unpaid internships, especially family income. When controlling for other factors, results showed that low-income students were more likely to have unpaid internships than high-income students. Attending a highly selective institution was the strongest predictor of participating in a paid internship. Results inspire questions about the accessibility of paid internships, especially for students in non-STEM majors and other students from marginalized groups.
Understanding Undergraduate Student Borrowing In China: A Qualitative Analysis, Hanwen Zhang
Understanding Undergraduate Student Borrowing In China: A Qualitative Analysis, Hanwen Zhang
Journal of Student Financial Aid
As China moved from elite to mass higher education, student borrowers as the product of state intervention have surged. Yet little attention has been paid to their voices. This study conducts reflexive thematic analysis with a qualitative inquiry into lived experiences of 41 current borrowers. A five-factor typology of debt attitudes yields a dynamic explanation of debt and repayment complexities. Students perceive borrowing as an investment in human and social capital. They are, however, cautious of consumer credit. Far from being a deterrent or added burden, educational indebtedness grants them a measure of freedom and autonomy in college. And they …
Families, Relationships And Paying For College, Arielle Kuperberg
Families, Relationships And Paying For College, Arielle Kuperberg
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Students’ access to family help with paying for college tuition and living expenses varies by family resources, structures, and relationships, and can affect later outcomes and the extent to which students rely on various forms of financial aid. This study analyzes an originally collected dataset at two regional public four-year universities in the United States (N=2,979) to examine how families and relationships are related to how students pay for college expenses. Differences in payment methods are examined by students’ family structure, including their cohabitation, marital, and parenthood status; family background including parents’ education, marital status and loan status; and relationships …
Gender And Loans: Understanding Differences In Student Debt Burden, Rong Chen, Katie N. Smith
Gender And Loans: Understanding Differences In Student Debt Burden, Rong Chen, Katie N. Smith
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Based on combined data from Baccalaureate & Beyond (B&B:16/17), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, this study utilizes zero-inflated beta regression methods and analyzes individual and institutional factors that predict debt burden by gender. Results show that women are less likely than men to have a zero debt burden one year after college graduation. Interaction effect tests show that the relationship between gender and zero debt burden differs by race/ethnicity. Additional analyses disaggregating the debt and earnings components indicate that women’s salary is significantly lower than men’s. The combined results of lower probability of …
Talk Debt To Me: An Applied Linguistics Approach To Exploring College Student Preferences For Student Loan Debt Letters, Zachary W. Taylor, Elizabeth A. Rainey, Chelseaia Charran, Gretchen Holthaus, Linda Eguiluz, Ada Horne, Myra Francisco, Karla Weber-Wandel
Talk Debt To Me: An Applied Linguistics Approach To Exploring College Student Preferences For Student Loan Debt Letters, Zachary W. Taylor, Elizabeth A. Rainey, Chelseaia Charran, Gretchen Holthaus, Linda Eguiluz, Ada Horne, Myra Francisco, Karla Weber-Wandel
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Although student loan debt has been rigorously studied over the past several decades, scant research has investigated how institutions of higher education communicate debt to current and former student borrowers. As COVID-19 forced the United States Department of Education to cancel the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement as part of a student’s signing of the master promissory note (MPN), there are no other mechanisms for students to be aware of their student loan debt beyond a debt letter from their institution or reviewing their National Student Loan Debt System (NSLDS) portal. This applied linguistics study surveyed 2,030 current student loan borrowers …
Constructing A Clear Definition Of Neotraditional Students And Illuminating Their Financial Aid, Academic, And Non-Academic Experiences And Outcomes In The 21st Century, Tuan D. Nguyen, Jenna W. Kramer
Constructing A Clear Definition Of Neotraditional Students And Illuminating Their Financial Aid, Academic, And Non-Academic Experiences And Outcomes In The 21st Century, Tuan D. Nguyen, Jenna W. Kramer
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Decades of research related to the experience of postsecondary students who are adults, work full-time, or have other life roles have not led to agreement in the field regarding who is a “nontraditional” college student. This study leverages nationally representative data to illuminate shifts in this student population in the 21st century and builds a picture of their demographics, financial aid receipt, and academic experiences. Our results suggest that, in order to capture the diversity of the 21st century students and ubiquity of students with multiple life roles, we need to carefully define this student population; the use …
Indebted To My Education: Examining College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Student Loan Repayment, Vincent D. Carales, Mauricio Molina
Indebted To My Education: Examining College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Student Loan Repayment, Vincent D. Carales, Mauricio Molina
Journal of Student Financial Aid
In this paper, we examine college graduates’ perceptions of entering student loan repayment and how they navigated this process. Findings highlight the importance of helping students make informed borrowing decisions, particularly as they begin repaying their student loan debt. Policy makers wishing to hold institutions accountable for keeping college affordable while enhancing financial aid policy will gain further insight.
The Effect Of Loan Debt On Graduation By Department: A Bayesian Hierarchical Approach, Chuan Cai, Adam Fleischhacker
The Effect Of Loan Debt On Graduation By Department: A Bayesian Hierarchical Approach, Chuan Cai, Adam Fleischhacker
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Using data from three cohorts at the University of Delaware, this study investigates the effects of student loan debt on six-year graduation by department over five years. The effects are estimated from five Bayesian hierarchical models, one model for each year. The Bayesian hierarchical model uses a partial pooling technique to address the over-fitting issue when estimating the effects of loan debt, and this technique is especially beneficial to departments with small enrollments. Similar to the observation that financial aid has different effects by racial and ethnic groups, and socioeconomic groups, findings suggest a pronounced department-level loan debt effect for …
Strengthening The Bridge Between Financial Aid And Study Abroad, Amy Leap, Stephanie Tignor, Evan Udowitch
Strengthening The Bridge Between Financial Aid And Study Abroad, Amy Leap, Stephanie Tignor, Evan Udowitch
Journal of Student Financial Aid
This article features a case study from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a large, public, urban, research university, in which challenges in administering financial aid for study abroad early in the COVID-19 pandemic led the Education Abroad and Student Financial Services teams to revisit practices and protocols. This article describes compliance concerns, student service, administrative optimization, and interdepartmental relationships. The outcomes emphasize the importance of a strong, sustained partnership between university study abroad and financial aid offices, provide a framework for administrative structures in managing financial aid for study abroad programs, and highlight strategies to provide equitable study abroad opportunities.
Show Me The Money: An Exploration Of International Student Net Tuition And Fees At Regional Universities In Minnesota And Wisconsin, Colleen Marchwick
Show Me The Money: An Exploration Of International Student Net Tuition And Fees At Regional Universities In Minnesota And Wisconsin, Colleen Marchwick
Journal of Student Financial Aid
International student enrollment has become increasingly important in higher education financing as public appropriations for higher education and enrollments have declined. A critical consideration for U.S. public institutions -- in particular regional institutions that lack brand prestige -- is pricing. This research brief examines the methods regional public universities in Wisconsin and Minnesota used to lower tuition for international, degree-seeking undergraduates. The findings suggest that the institutions used multiple approaches to reduce international non-resident tuition and limit remissions length and renewal. Additionally, remission complexity and price uncertainty may influence perceptions of higher education affordability in the United States.
Cost Sharing And Funding Of International Student Career Services: Public-Private Partnerships In The German Context, Jessica Schueller
Cost Sharing And Funding Of International Student Career Services: Public-Private Partnerships In The German Context, Jessica Schueller
Journal of Student Financial Aid
In some countries, employers are viewed as beneficiaries of international student mobility and thus as a funding source for supporting international student programming. In this study, higher education institutions in Germany were surveyed about career services for international students. From the responding institutions (n=141, 33.6%), one key result revealed that over 10% of career services for international students at German universities are funded in whole or in part by local employers, regional development agencies, or employer associations. This cost-sharing model exhibits that employers are increasingly active in providing support and that there is a tendency to fund services instead of …
Predicting International Student Enrollment By Institutional Aid: A Random And Fixed Effects Approach, Daniel C. Posmik
Predicting International Student Enrollment By Institutional Aid: A Random And Fixed Effects Approach, Daniel C. Posmik
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Since the fall semester of 2016, first-time international student enrollment (ISEft) has declined at U.S. colleges and universities. This trend disrupts a steady upwards trajectory of ISEft rates. Previous research has demonstrated that various political, social, and macroeconomic factors influence the number of international students studying in the U.S. Exploiting data from the Common Data Set (CDS), I focus on the role financial aid plays as an enrollment predictor for international undergraduate students. A fixed effects model reveals that financial aid is strongly and significantly predictive of ISEft, yielding a 1.8% enrollment increase per 10% …
The Effect Of In-State Tuition On International Student Enrollment: Evidence From The Heartland, Federick Ngo, Jaekeun Cho
The Effect Of In-State Tuition On International Student Enrollment: Evidence From The Heartland, Federick Ngo, Jaekeun Cho
Journal of Student Financial Aid
In 2008, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MSCU) system modified residency criteria for tuition determinations and allowed institutions to charge international students in-state tuition. We use IPEDS data and a difference-in-differences design to determine the impact of the policy change on new international student enrollment in MSCU public four-year colleges relative to those in neighboring states, the Heartland, and all other states. We also derive a synthetic control group and compare the results. The findings indicate the MSCU policy allowing international students to pay in-state tuition drew 385 new international students to the state in the policy’s first year. …
Examining The Associations Between Financial Conditions And Study Abroad In Diverse, Low-Income College Students, Radomir R. Mitic, Gregory C. Wolniak
Examining The Associations Between Financial Conditions And Study Abroad In Diverse, Low-Income College Students, Radomir R. Mitic, Gregory C. Wolniak
Journal of Student Financial Aid
The study examines ascribed, financial, and college factors to predict study abroad participation among a national sample of students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Based on a longitudinal sample of 398 fourth-year participants of a national scholarship program (consisting of more than 50% students of color and 50% first-generation college goers), results show that despite higher study abroad participation among this group compared to national averages, finances remain a predominant impediment. The results provide a counter-narrative that study abroad participation is for the privileged. Findings also indicate that grant aid and prior exposure to financial adversity in the form of severe …
Need-Based Aid, Participation In Education Abroad, And Program Type Choice, Angela D. Bell, Leslie E. Hodges, Donald L. Rubin, Coryn Shiflet
Need-Based Aid, Participation In Education Abroad, And Program Type Choice, Angela D. Bell, Leslie E. Hodges, Donald L. Rubin, Coryn Shiflet
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Although education abroad in the US offers participants demonstrable benefits, direct and opportunity costs are cited as primary barriers to broader participation. Yet the degree to which low-income status deters studying abroad and whether additional need-based aid beyond Pell Grants encourages participation remain uncertain. Moreover, not all education abroad programs are equivalent in terms of costs. This study is the first to examine whether need-based aid recipients differentially choose programs of varying duration or programs offered by various provider types. The sample consisted of 221,981 students from 36 institutions of the Consortium for Analysis of Student Success through International Education …
Is The Early Promise Of Money Enough? Examining High School Students’ College Knowledge And Choice In A Promise Scholarship Program, Tangela Reavis
Is The Early Promise Of Money Enough? Examining High School Students’ College Knowledge And Choice In A Promise Scholarship Program, Tangela Reavis
Journal of Student Financial Aid
This study is part of a randomized control trial examining the results of a promise scholarship program, the Degree Project (TDP). Half of the ninth graders in one Midwestern urban school district were notified about a $12,000 promise scholarship offer if they met certain GPA and attendance requirements (2.5 GPA and 90% attendance). This analysis draws on interview data to understand students’ financial knowledge over four years (grades 9-12). The study examined how treatment students (those who were offered the scholarship) and control students (those who were not offered the scholarship) explained and understood the methods they intended to use …
Fafsa And Beyond: How Advisers Manage Their Administrative Burden In The Financial Aid Process, Meredith S. Billings, Ashley B. Clayton, Rachel Worsham
Fafsa And Beyond: How Advisers Manage Their Administrative Burden In The Financial Aid Process, Meredith S. Billings, Ashley B. Clayton, Rachel Worsham
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Access to financial aid is crucial in ensuring that students can afford college. Students must file the FAFSA to access federal financial aid and usually the FAFSA is also required for state and institutional aid (U.S. Department of Education, n.d). Prior research has shown, however, that the FAFSA is complicated and burdensome to complete and often acts as a barrier instead of an entry point to college (Bettinger et al., 2012; Bird & Castleman, 2016; Dynarski & Scott-Clayton, 2006, 2008; Dynarski et al., 2013). Given these barriers in accessing aid, some high schools employ college advisers or other school staff …
Exploring The Relationship Of Enrollment In Idr To Borrower Demographics And Financial Outcomes, Daniel Collier, Dan Fitzpatrick, Christopher R. Marsicano
Exploring The Relationship Of Enrollment In Idr To Borrower Demographics And Financial Outcomes, Daniel Collier, Dan Fitzpatrick, Christopher R. Marsicano
Journal of Student Financial Aid
As federal policymakers consider changes to income-driven repayment (IDR) schemes, research examining the characteristics and financial behaviors of student loan borrowers participating in IDR is necessary. Using the nationally representative Survey of Consumer Finances, we examined the demographics of IDR enrollment. Counter to expectations, low-income borrowers, and borrowers with high debt-to-income ratios are less likely to enroll in IDR. Conditional on having a large amount of debt, married women of color are likely to enroll in IDR programs. Findings concerning IDR participation may be highly sensitive to how groups are defined and what covariates are in models. IDR participation does …
Disparate Impacts Of Covid-19 Disruptions For California College Students, Sherrie Reed, Elizabeth Friedmann, Michal Kurlaender, Paco Martorell, Derek Rury, Ryan Fuller, Jessica Moldoff, Patrick Perry
Disparate Impacts Of Covid-19 Disruptions For California College Students, Sherrie Reed, Elizabeth Friedmann, Michal Kurlaender, Paco Martorell, Derek Rury, Ryan Fuller, Jessica Moldoff, Patrick Perry
Journal of Student Financial Aid
This paper documents the experience of California college students in the midst of the pandemic as their academic and home lives were disrupted. The analysis relies on a survey sent to all financial aid applicants statewide. Survey respondents include nearly 100,000 students enrolled in both two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions. Results reveal multiple stressors strained the educational experience and trajectories of many students. These stressors were not evenly distributed. In particular, students from low-income backgrounds were more likely to face increased financial stress, additional home responsibilities, and difficulty accessing the online learning environment, when compared to their higher-income peers.
An Intervention Strategy Addressing Implicit Bias In Scholarships, Lauren Moser Klink
An Intervention Strategy Addressing Implicit Bias In Scholarships, Lauren Moser Klink
Journal of Student Financial Aid
White students receive a disproportionate amount of private scholarships compared to their Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) peers (Kantrowitz, 2011). Scholarships provide important financial support for higher education and BIPOC students are more likely to graduate with loan debt compared to their White peers (Mishory et al., 2019). This loan debt is higher on average for BIPOC students compared to White students (Mishory et al., 2019). Scholarships could provide funding to reduce loan debt. In considering administrators who are involved in selection processes such as scholarship awarding, their implicit bias can impact judgment (Capers et al., 2017). I …
The Consequences Of A Covid-19 Campus: Student And Staff Views Of Financial Aid Practice During The Pandemic, Saralyn Mckinnon-Crowley
The Consequences Of A Covid-19 Campus: Student And Staff Views Of Financial Aid Practice During The Pandemic, Saralyn Mckinnon-Crowley
Journal of Student Financial Aid
The COVID-19 pandemic closed many college and university campuses as education moved online in 2020. Using interviews and document analysis methods, this article describes how the experiences of campus closure impacted financial aid staff and the students interacting with them. Specifically, it applies the theory of sense of belonging to both staff and students to investigate the question: how did campus closures impact financial aid practice and student and staff sense of belonging? The paper includes recommendations for both legislators and administrators to improve financial aid, even after the pandemic.
The Lasting Effects Of The Pandemic On Graduate And Professional Education, Robert Kelchen
The Lasting Effects Of The Pandemic On Graduate And Professional Education, Robert Kelchen
Journal of Student Financial Aid
The coronavirus pandemic caused a shift in the American higher education system. Many institutions switched from in-person to virtual platforms. Since graduate and professional students are more likely than undergraduate students to enroll in a hybrid or online program, they were less affected by the transition to online education. However, the decrease in undergraduate enrollment during the pandemic further squeezed institutional finances showing a decline in international graduate enrollment in the United States. As universities place additional scrutiny on program finances, departments will face pressure to reduce the number of assistantships that are not supported by external grants and contracts, …
Professional Judgment And Emergency Fund Programs: An Opportunity To Improve, Nancy Conneely, Aaron Taylor, Leandra Ross
Professional Judgment And Emergency Fund Programs: An Opportunity To Improve, Nancy Conneely, Aaron Taylor, Leandra Ross
Journal of Student Financial Aid
In Spring 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students facing financial hardships increased as job losses mounted and schools closed their campuses. Schools, the federal government, and other organizations stepped in to help students deal with emergencies; but there are often hurdles to quickly getting emergency aid into the hands of students. While Title IV of the Higher Education Act provides a viable response mechanism through its emergency aid provisions, these provisions are underutilized. In this paper, we discuss ways in which schools can more effectively use professional judgment authority to quickly get emergency aid …
Tuition-Free College In The Context Of Covid-19: Tn Reconnect Adult Student Narratives, Gresham Donald Collom, Ashton Ryan Cooper
Tuition-Free College In The Context Of Covid-19: Tn Reconnect Adult Student Narratives, Gresham Donald Collom, Ashton Ryan Cooper
Journal of Student Financial Aid
Utilizing narrative inquiry and thematic analysis, this study followed up with adult students who initially participated in a qualitative project, Understanding How Students Reconnect: A Longitudinal Study (Collom et al., 2021). Five participants shared their experiences as adult students during COVID-19, which included their experiences shifting to virtual learning and the broader effects of the pandemic on their lives. Our findings indicated that while students coped with the transition to virtual learning, the overall perceived quality of education dropped and forced students to make difficult family and employment decisions. Overall, the study illuminated the barriers that exist for adult students …