Early Awareness of College Financial Aid: Does It Expand Choice?

College Knowledge of 9th and 11th Grade Students: Variation by School and State Context

“…Research has shown that students with lower levels of information about college, especially information focused on cost and aid are less likely to expect to attend college (Flint, 1993;Horn et al, 2003), apply for admission to college (Cabrera & LaNasa, 2000), or actually enroll in college (Plank & Jordan, 2001). Students with less information about cost and aid are also less likely to be willing to take out loans to pay for college, or have parents that save for college (Ekstrom, 1991;Flint, 1997).…”

Understanding Differences in the Choice of College Attended: The Role of State Public Policies

“…More information about college may be available to students who live in states with a higher number of colleges and universities per capita. Research shows that parents and students overestimate college costs and lack accurate information about financial aid (Ikenberry & Hartle, 1998;Institute, 1999), and that, after controlling for other variables, students are less likely to enroll in college when their parents lack accurate information and knowledge about financial aid (Higgins, 1984;Flint, 1993).…”

Understanding the College‐Choice Process

“…It enables eighth graders and their parents to plan for college-track curriculum and extracurricular activities, to maintain good academic performance, and to secure information about ways to finance college (see, for example, Hossler, Schmit, and Vesper, 1999;McDonough, 1997) Planning for college is affected by many factors that interact among themselves in a complex manner (Alexander and Eckland, 1975;Sewell and Shah, 1968;Sewell, Haller, and Portes, 1969). Among the factors predicting students' early educational plans, parental encouragement is the strongest (Conklin and Dailey, 1981;Hossler, Schmit, and Vesper, 1999;Stage and Hossler, 1989 Berkner and Chavez, 1997;Flint, 1993Flint, , 1997Horn, 1997;Hossler and Vesper, 1993;Hossler, Schmit, and Vesper, 1999;Perna, 2000;Sewell and Hauser, 1975;Stage and Hossler, 1989;St. John, 1990;Terenzini, Cabrera, and Bernal, forthcoming. Parental encouragement has two dimensions.…”

“…The first is motivational: parents maintain high educational expectations for their children. The second is proactive: parents become involved in school matters, discuss college plans with their children, and save for college (Flint, 1992(Flint, , 1993Henderson and Berla, 1994;Hossler and Vesper, 1993;Hossler, Schmit and Vesper, 1999;Miller, 1997;Perna, 2000;Stage and Hossler, 1989).…”

“…Flint (1992Flint ( , 1993 argues that this encouragement manifests itself when parents initiate college savings plans, advise their children on a range of acceptable college costs, and search for additional sources of financial support. The extent of parental belief in education and the foundation for parental involvement can be found in a 1996 Gallup Poll of parents of college-bound high school students.…”