Decades of research has suggested that completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be a complex, difficult process for postsecondary students and their support networks. However, no extant research has informed federal student aid practitioners and researchers as to what federal student aid jargon terms institutions of…

People who are impacted by the criminal justice system ("system-impacted") face barriers when seeking financial aid to pay for college. Between the late 1960s and the early 2000s, Congress created laws that prohibited incarcerated students and students with certain criminal convictions from receiving federal grants and loans. This paper…

This monograph explores how homelessness intersects most social issues that marginalize individuals and negatively influence postsecondary completion, including poverty, foster care, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer/questioning, and others) discrimination. As becomes evident, students experiencing homelessness should be considered…

Research has shown that community college and other low income students have the most need regarding the financial aid process. Community college students are less likely to complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) than students at public and private four-year and for-profit institutions. Surveys have shown that the complexity…

This report evaluates the Teacher Education Loan Program in Ohio based on an analysis of survey responses of 57 recipients and 47 non-recipients of these loans in 1990-91. Data were also obtained from administrators of the program and publications and statistics provided by the program. Questions asked were intended to discover the program's…

A study to determine the number of dependent students making changes on parental adjusted gross income during the verification process is discussed. The study defined the number of dependent students who had a change in their Student Aid Index as a result of validation. (MLW)

Suggests that recent cuts in federal aid to higher education have caused changes in admission policies which favor more affluent students, while students from less affluent areas receive fewer publications and their schools are not visited as often by college recruiters. (JAC)

Since the early 1980s, college tuitions have soared, and state and federal governments have sought new ways to help students and families meet the costs of attendance. Annual state and federal appropriations to traditional student aid programs have more than doubled in the past two decades. In addition, the federal government created the Hope…

Reviews literature related to the academic progress of financial aid recipients and describes a study of financial aid recipients conducted at Temple Junior College, Texas. Concludes that financial aid recipients succeed at rates at least equal to nonrecipients. (LL)

In 1991 the Department of Justice brought an antitrust action against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and eight Ivy League colleges and universities for participating in a financial aid disbursement scheme. Argues that antitrust laws should apply only if competition among nonprofit organizations tends to enhance efficiency and consumer…

This report provides results from a Minnesota state survey designed to identify the characteristics of the students enrolled in Minnesota colleges and how their families are financing their education. Data are presented from survey responses of 5,347 undergraduate college students. Information is presented separately for dependent and independent…

This resource paper provides an overview of student financial aid and discusses the roles and responsibilities of those who play a significant part in the process of providing aid to students with disabilities. The paper also addresses financial aid application procedure and suggests timelines and resources for those individuals who are seeking…

Current federal definitions and proposed alternative definitions of financially independent students, and the effect of the definitions on the numbers and attributes of independent students, are reviewed. Current federal law defines financial aid applicants as financially independent of their parents if they meet three criteria (the "tri-form"…

The extent to which student financial aid has changed the composition of young people attending and planning to attend college is considered. The income redistribution policies of the 1960s and 1970s included rapid expansion of federal financial aid programs and reflected a shift from the goal of promoting economic efficiency and faster economic…

The development of student consumerism on campus is reviewed and related to student consumer needs with respect to financial aid policies and procedures. Three of these student consumer needs are highlighted: information dissemination, improvement of counseling functions, and protection of student rights. (Author/JMD)