Study: Community College Students Are Less Likely to File FAFSA, More Likely to Be Eligible for Aid

Community college students are more likely to be eligible for need-based, federal aid, but are less likely than their peers at other types of institutions to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), according to a new report (PDF) released yesterday by the College Board Advocacy and Policy Center.

According to the report, The Financial Aid Challenge: Successful Practices that Address the Underutilization of Financial Aid in Community Colleges, millions of dollars are left on the table each year by low- and moderate-income students attending community colleges. During the 2007-08 academic year, 58 percent of Pell Grant-eligible students who attended community colleges completed the FAFSA, compared to 77 percent of eligible students at four-year public institutions.

The study, conducted in collaboration with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), identified several reasons that community college students are reluctant apply for aid. These reasons include:

a lack sufficient human and technology resources at financial aid offices to provide students with information and one-on-one assistance
financial aid needs of students may not receive adequate priority or attention because public funding is scarce for many community colleges.
students not having a basic understanding of financial planning for a college education
a lack of consistent, early and accurate information for students about going to college and information about financial aid prior to enrolling in college
students are reluctant to borrow even when provided with information about financial aid options
students distrusting or misunderstanding of government agencies that ask for personal financial information as a prerequisite for providing aid
difficulty accessing on-campus college services especially for students attending evening and online classes

The study makes several short-term and long-term recommendations to help community college leaders increase aid application among students. The short-term recommendations include:

distributing bilingual services and materials
offer evening and weekend office hours
apply multiple approaches to convey financial aid information to all students
use multilanguage media, online resources and local opinion leaders to drive awareness
link financial aid application and follow-up with college enrollment or registration
incorporate evaluation metrics and data collection into office practices
coordinate activities and meet with local high school counselors to provide grade-specific information to students.
involve the families of students when providing financial aid materials and activities
conduct workshops or information sessions for students interested in college, and communicate financial aid opportunities in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner
integrate financial aid counseling with other outreach efforts
build a list of community organizations that already help students with the application process
partner with other education institutions or community organizations to offer financial aid counseling to all students.
support state or regional efforts to improve application rates.

In the long-term, the study recommends that schools:

make a public commitment to student access, directing funds and staff to financial aid administration and access programs at the institution.
survey potential students to learn where students get information about the community college and what knowledge they have about student aid prior to enrolling.
participate in transition programs with area high schools.
set up mentoring opportunities for high school students.
consider consolidating resources with area community colleges or across the state to establish a common system for financial aid administration.
work with state governmental agencies to coordinate priorities and policies statewide for financial aid administration.

"Ultimately, the community colleges must determine the best and most appropriate approaches for ensuring student access at their institutions," the report concludes. "All of these recommendations and changes do not have to be implemented at once and will not apply to every college."

This is the first in a series of community college initiatives from the College Board's new Advocacy & Policy Center and the report highlights a dozen programs making strides in increasing the number of community college students accessing financial aid. Programs cited included: Nevada P-16 Advisory Council; Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE); College Foundation of North Carolina (CNFC); Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation; Puente Project in California; I Can Afford College program in California; At Home in College in New York; Admission Possible in Minnesota; College Forward in Texas; Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) in Kentucky; the Connecticut Community College System; and College Goal Sunday in Indiana.

Media Coverage

New College Board Report Finds Millions in Financial Aid Go Unclaimed at Community Colleges College Board Press Release

Connecting Students to Aid Inside Higher Ed

Posted 05/20/10 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit website questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.