Does Financial Aid Help Low-Income Students Take Dual-Enrollment Courses?

• In Event: Money Matters: Low-Income Students, Financial Aid, and Work

Abstract

This study explores whether receiving the Access College Early (ACE) scholarship, a state financial aid for dual enrollment students in Nebraska, is related to low-income students’ dual enrollment participation. The ACE scholarship covers tuition and fees for dual enrollment courses, but it is given on a first-come, first-served basis due to its limited funding. Using logistic regression and Poisson regression, we analyze statewide data for the 2018 Nebraska high school graduating class. Results show that receiving the scholarship significantly increases the probability of taking dual enrollment courses and the number of dual enrollment courses taken. However, we also find that the scholarship is disproportionately given to students who are academically well-prepared and who attend relatively affluent high schools.

Authors

• Jungmin Lee, University of Kentucky
  Presenting Author

• Hongwook Suh, Cambium Assessment
  Non-Presenting Author