"About 40 percent of undergraduates experienced a financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 8.2 percent either withdrew (4.4 percent) or took a leave of absence (3.8 percent) from their institution, according to a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics on the ways the pandemic affected undergraduate student finances, housing and enrollment," Inside Higher Ed reports.

..."'The data over all show us what we expected, which is that college students who were enrolled in postsecondary education did experience financial trouble from the pandemic,' said Megan Coval, vice president for policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

She noted that low-income students and students from underrepresented minority groups clearly struggled more.

'I think that this can hopefully inform what we do in future situations where emergency aid is warranted, whether it is emergency aid on a widespread level or even individually,' Coval said. 'These data and any follow-up data should certainly be used to inform the way that we structure future emergency aid programs, whether at the federal or state level.'"

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 6/17/2021