College Choices of Academically Able Students: The Influence of No-need Financial Aid and Other FactorsCollege preferences and choices of a sample of high-ability high school seniors applying to colleges in spring 1984 were studied to determine the award of no-need (merit) aid to the students and the degree to which such aid influences college choices, in relation to other factors. A multistage model of college choice behavior was employed that focuses on perception formation, preference judgment formation, and choice. The study is based on a national probability sample of 2,000 high-ability high school seniors who had taken the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Students were contacted before and after the actual college choice decision. A total of 1,183 students who had applied to at least two colleges were surveyed by mail and interviewed. Sixty-four percent of these students, received at least one offer of financial aid. Results indicate that most colleges consider a student's academic ability in determining whether a student receives financial aid and the size of the aid package. Monetary factors were important to college choice; however, the primary determinant of college choice was perceived college quality. Appendices include information on the multinomial logit model, the mail questionnaire, and the interview schedule. (SW) |
Contents
A comprehensive model of college | 11 |
Study design and data collection | 23 |
5 | 54 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
academic quality admissions offers aid applicants aid offers analysis application set attend average SAT score campus visits Chapter choice probabilities choice sets choosing college alternatives College Board college choice behavior college costs college-specific effects college's COLLEGE7 cost-benefit analysis dents described descriptive statistics determinants of college displayed in Table effective cost enroll equals 0 otherwise factors family contribution financial aid awards follow-up formation model GRANTAID grid high AQSCORE group high school high-ability students included indicator variable individual differences influence Ivy League lege LIFESTYLE LLRI log-likelihood log-likelihood ratio Low AQSCORE group mail survey model of college multinomial logit model no-need scholarship null hypothesis OTHERAID perceived renewability percent perception formation perceptual ratings post-admissions contacts preference judgment formation prior preference college Question relative relative-importance weights relevant reported in Table respondents sample SATFIT scholarship aid self-reported statistical model statistically significant Summary statistics tion top seven colleges utility points