Causes and Consequences of Failure to Complete the Financial Aid Application Process

• In Event: Understanding Precollege Access Factors

Abstract

This paper uses data from 10 campuses of the City University of New York to examine the likelihood that a student’s financial aid application will be rejected by the U.S. Department of Education and that he/she will successfully reapply. The primary reasons financial aid applications are rejected are missing parent signatures or problems with the student or parent social security numbers. Demographic characteristics and high school performance are generally weak predictors of initial application rejection. However, it appears that more advantaged students may be more likely to become discouraged by an initial rejection and fail to reapply. Implications for higher education administrators are discussed.

Authors

• Aleksandra Holod, American Institutes for Research

• Colin Chellman, City University of New York

• David Crook, City University of New York