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The Effects of a State Need-based Access Grant on Traditional and Non-traditional Student Persistence

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Abstract

In 2011–2012, more than 236.7 billion dollars of student financial aid was disbursed to undergraduate and graduate students at postsecondary institutions in the United States. Today, many groups and organizations are advocating for financial aid to increase student access and success as well as to assist the neediest students. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the College Access Program (CAP) grant, which is a need-based state access grant, on persistence from the first to second year at Kentucky’s 2- and 4-year public institutions using logistic regression and propensity score matching. A dependent full-time student who receives the CAP grant has 51% greater odds of persisting from the first to second year, but receiving the CAP grant was not statistically significant for part-time or independent students. These findings have practical and policy implications if institutional, state and federal financial aid is to align to increase student access and success.

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Notes

  1. Dependent student’s median income is based on parent’s and student’s income. Independent student’s median income is based on the student’s and spouse’s income, if married.

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  1. Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, 1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 320, Frankfort, KY 40601, USA

    J Cody Davidson

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Cody Davidson, J. The Effects of a State Need-based Access Grant on Traditional and Non-traditional Student Persistence. High Educ Policy 28, 235–257 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/hep.2014.7

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