The Impact of Scholarship Aid on the College Choices of Low-Income, High-Achieving, Underrepresented Minority Students

• In Event: 16.056 - Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: 16.056-9 - Examining Factors That Impact Access to Higher Education for Middle School, High School, and the Transition to College

Abstract

When financial barriers are removed, high-achieving, low-income African Americans enroll in more selective institutions that are better aligned with their academic interests and intellectual pursuits (Davis, et al., 2013). To expand on this finding, the authors of the present study performed a secondary analysis of data to determine whether these findings generalized to other minority racial/ethnic groups, and to explore the differences in the college choice process between these groups. Examining quantitative and qualitative survey data, the authors found that, as with African American students, financial concerns and college reputation influenced college choice of Hispanic Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians. However, the racial/ethnic groups differed in the effect of earlier notification of scholarship awards the college decision-making process.

Authors

• David Richards, Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute

• Janet T. Awokoya, Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute

• Barry Nagle, UNCF

• Terrell Garrett, UNCF

• Ryan Davis, UNCF