Who Do Students Turn to for Financial Aid Advice? Parent, Family, and Peer Relationships

• In Event: 61.025 - Percent Plans, Recruiting, and Distributional Outcomes: New Perspectives on Student Access and Stratification

Abstract

Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted an experiment to test whether a debt letter sent to students about their current borrowing amount would lead to behavioral changes (e.g., borrow more or less in subsequent semesters, take more or fewer classes), and semi-structured interviews to understand how and why the letter was ineffective and from whom they did get advice that informed their financial aid related decisions. Results indicate that students are getting help and advice about financing college from potentially unexpected sources, such as peers and romantic partners. Despite past research pointing to the importance of parents and family in providing guidance, particularly if these individuals also attended college, participants indicated receiving little or incomplete financial information from family members.

Authors

• Casandra Elena Harper Morris, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Rajeev Darolia, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Lisa Scheese, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Enyu Zhou, Council of Graduate Schools