ERIC Number: EJ1018058
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0884-9153
EISSN: N/A
Increasing FAFSA Completion Rates: Research, Policies and Practices
Davidson, J. Cody
Journal of Student Financial Aid, v43 n1 Article 4 2013
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first and most important step for students to receive their portion of the billions of grant aid dollars disbursed in federal student financial aid; however, every year many low income and community college students fail to complete the FAFSA. Over the past twenty years, surveys have shown four main reasons students do not complete the FAFSA: the complexity of the FAFSA, loan debt, "other," and no financial need. This article reviews current efforts, policies and practices aimed at increasing FAFSA completion rates at the national, state, and local levels. It also shows that many of these efforts are not assessed or evaluated for effectiveness. Special attention on FAFSA completion practices are made for financial aid administrators at a community and local level that focus on personal one-to one assistance, which research has found to be the most effective means of increasing FAFSA completion rates.
Descriptors: Student Financial Aid, Federal Aid, Financial Aid Applicants, College Students, Low Income Groups, Two Year College Students, Records (Forms), Debt (Financial), Financial Needs, Student Attitudes, State Policy, School Policy, State Programs, Urban Programs, Federal Programs, Surveys
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-785-0453; Fax: 202-785-1487; e-mail: membership@nasfaa.org; Web site: http://www.nasfaa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Alaska; California; Connecticut; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Minnesota; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Texas; Utah; Wyoming
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A