Financial and Academic Planning Intervention to Promote Timely Graduation for Undergraduates With Financial Need

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Contemporary Issues Related to Student Success (San Diego)

Abstract

Access to financial aid is important for ensuring undergraduates with financial need have equitable graduation outcomes. Federal loans and Pell grants have lifetime limits. Undergraduates who take several years to complete their degree risk exhausting federal aid before finishing requirements, resulting in difficulties paying for final semesters. We used a randomized control trial to test if an intervention integrating financial aid education with academic planning could promote timely graduation for undergraduates with financial need. Here, we analyzed the short-term student outcomes for an intervention conducted in Spring 2021. Intervention participants increased their financial aid knowledge and awareness of degree requirements. They also altered academic plans to accelerate their planned time to graduation.

Authors

• Elise Demeter, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Dora Gicheva, University of North Carolina - Greensboro

• Erfan Al-Hossami, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Mohsen Dorodchi, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• John Smail, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Lisa Slattery Walker, University of North Carolina - Charlotte