Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Ed Gerrish
Abstract
The debate over the effectiveness of various methods of financial aid dates to the 1960s with continued uncertainty on the impacts it has on college enrollment (Hansen 1983). Previous studies noted that states are adopting various financial aid programs with some focused on the merit-based aid program which traditionally has benefited higher-academic achieving students who come from higher income families (McLendon, Tandberg, & Hillman 2014). Then there are other states that have focused more on increasing their state funding on lower-income families via needs-based aid programs (McLendon, Tandberg, & Hillman 2014). However, these studies have not focused on the relationship of needs-based aid and the stay rate or recent public high school graduates staying in one of their home state institutions. This study used the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) which is collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for each of the 50 United States from 2000 to 2020 to estimate the effects of state needs-based aid programs on both the college continuation rate and stay rates of recent public high school graduates. Using a multivariate regression analysis provided evidence that states which invest in needs-based aid programs had a positive impact on both the college continuation rate of recent public high school graduates and recent public high school graduates who elected to stay in one of their in-state college or universities.
Subject Categories
Public Administration | Public Policy
Keywords
College Continuation Rate, Enrollment, Needs-Based Aid, Residency, Stay Rate
Number of Pages
94
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Pohlson, Scott, "Impacts of State Needs-Based Aid on Residency (In-State) Enrollments" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. 263.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/263