The purpose of this dissertation was to understand the financial aid personnel's perspective on the impacts of middle-income student loan borrowing. Student loan borrowing is a concern for many due to the current debt reaching extraordinary amounts. This research explored the impacts specifically on middle-income students as opposed to low- or…

With the costs of higher education increasing, the need to search for alternative ways to fund these expenses has also increased. While grants, scholarships, personal savings, and financial assistance from parents, may be effective for some, this is not the case for all students as some are inclined to use student loans to fund their higher…

This dissertation, which is highly relevant to education, examines Black educators' life experiences with student loan debt. It provides insight into the impact of student debt and how these experiences shape their interactions with Black students. Using their narratives, this study serves as a self-reflective journey, bringing the reader closer…

Florida implemented Statute 1009.45 as of July 1, 2017, to require colleges and universities to provide annual student loan debt notifications to students to inform them about their student loan obligations. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how college students in the State of Florida make financial decisions about their…

This dissertation consists of three chapters that examine topics in the economics of education. Chapter 1 tests the impact of holding student loan debt on borrowers' post-schooling decisions, with a focus on how it changes the way they evaluate risks when choosing between jobs. Chapter 2 analyzes the impact of an expansion of public-school choice…

In the 21st century, more students enroll in higher education and take federal loans to defer the cost of attendance resulting in average levels of borrowing steadily increasing. In the same timeframe, there is an increase in the number of students entering repayment for their federal loans and an increase in the proportion of individuals…

While the completion of a baccalaureate degree is the gateway to a greater quality of life in areas of employment, health, housing, civic engagement, mortality, and economic wealth, the college experience for Black American students is typically coupled with the accumulation of a disproportionately high amount of student loan debt. While the most…

Chapter 1 is The Effect of Honors College Participation on Student Outcomes. Honors education refers to programs for high achieving students at U.S. post-secondary institutions. These programs provide high achieving students benefits such as the ability to enroll in exclusive courses with small class sizes, to live in special dorms, and to enroll…

This dissertation investigates the complex connections among loan debt burden, student experiences, and post-bachelor's outcomes, situated within the framework of systemic disparities in educational funding and opportunities. It identifies declines in state funding across educational levels as a systemic and politicized issue, disproportionately…

Obtaining a college degree creates a pathway for low-income students and their families toward advancement within American society. Earning a postsecondary credential positively impacts an individual's employment outcomes, income, job satisfaction, and overall health. In working toward this goal, older, financially independent working…

Escalating college costs have far-reaching implications, especially for low-income and first-generation students. Lack of financial literacy can negatively affect the success of these learners and may have long-lasting consequences, yet there is a lack of literature about the borrowing and repayment obligations related to student loans of…

Over the past two decades, educational debt has quickly transformed US colleges and universities into spaces of cruel optimism: the higher education that students desire is all too often an obstacle to their flourishing. This study maps the contours of the white, middle-class attachment to the college dream, paying particular attention to the…

Student loan debt continues to grow at a rapid pace (Scott-Clayton, 2018). The total debt burden for each student graduating from college is over $35,000, and that number is likely to gradually rise as tuition costs and fees at institutions of higher education increase (Friedman, 2018). The problem is not that students accrue debt but rather the…

One-third of student loan debt is delinquent or in default, creating a crisis in the United States economy and the lives of the students (Friedman, 2020 U.S. Department of Education, 2019). A more complex story is that of the African American student with default rates five times more than their majority counterparts (Mishory et al., 2019;…

The rate of default on college loans in the United States is staggering and poses a major financial threat not only to the students who are unable to repay their student loans but the U.S. economy. For instance, in 2011, borrowers at nonprofit and for-profit 4-year colleges accounted for almost 50% of all federal loan recipients. College students…