The Pittsburgh Promise is a scholarship program that provides $5,000 per year toward college tuition for public high school graduates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who earned a 2.5 GPA and a 90% attendance record. This study used a difference-in-difference design to assess whether the introduction of the Promise scholarship program directly…

This study examines the differences in the portfolio of institutional scholarships and the marketing of these awards between flagship campuses with and without state merit aid programs. Using content analysis techniques to analyze institutional websites of the 16 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) flagship campuses, three thematic responses…

Empirical studies exploring the impact of student aid on postsecondary enrollment often stop short of the specific examination of institutional tuition discounting. This research uses separate empirical ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to examine three questions using public choice theory, positing that enrollment decisions may be…

A study investigated the use of econometric analysis to understand the enrollment behavior of students accepted to a college, particularly those requesting financial aid. The experiences of a diverse group of four-year colleges and universities in using this modeling approach are discussed. Data requirements, underlying assumptions, some…

Substantial differences in tuition discounting across private colleges appear related to differences in admissions selectivity, nominal price, endowment per student, and regional location. Ironically, one reason many of these colleges can sustain such policies is that stringent selectivity and high price may lower the percentage of needy students.…

A study investigated the appropriateness of colleges awarding student aid based on student recruitment objectives as contrasted with traditional need analysis. Subjects were 1,658 prospective students who applied for financial aid at a mid-sized comprehensive university. Results indicate that traditional aid policies are effective in attracting…

A study identified overall changes in college-going behavior before and after the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program, based on a comparison of the high school graduating classes of 1972 and 1982. Results suggest that federal efforts to increase access to higher education have been constrained by heavy reliance on test scores in college…

Using institutional data, this paper presents a model to enable researchers and enrollment managers to assess the effectiveness of financial aid packaging policies in light of student characteristics and institutional market position. The model uses discriminant analysis and a series of hypothetical financial aid award scenarios to predict the…

This study examines how institutional expenditures and grants (student financial aid) relate to retention and graduation. It looks at this relationship over a 10-year period and examines differences between institutions with low- and high-admissions selectivity standards. In general, expenditures for institutional grants positively contributed to…