THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OFFERS OF FINANCIAL AID IN INCREASING COLLEGE ATTENDANCE OF TALENTED STUDENTS. SELECTION CRITERIA, BASED ON STANDING AS A NATIONAL MERIT PROGRAM FINALIST AND ON INABILITY TO ATTEND COLLEGE FOR FINANCIAL REASONS, YIELDED 1550 STUDENTS WHO SERVED AS SUBJECTS. QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO THE STUDENTS OR THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS TWO YEARS AFTER
... [Show full abstract] GRADUATION RETURNED USABLE INFORMATION ON 99.7 PER CENT OF THE SUBJECTS. RESULTS INDICATED--(1) THOSE WHO RECEIVED OFFERS OF FINANCIAL AID WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO ENTER COLLEGE THAN THOSE WHO RECEIVED NO OFFERS, (2) STUDENTS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE WHO ENROLLED IN COLLEGE WERE MORE LIKELY TO ATTEND A PUBLIC COLLEGE WITH LOW ANNUAL COST, LOCATED WITHIN 20 MILES OF HOME, (3) STUDENTS RECEIVING OFFERS OF FINANCIAL AID PRESENTED SUPERIOR ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS BUT THOSE NOT OFFERED AID WERE STILL VERY TALENTED, (4) STUDENTS ATTENDING COLLEGE WITHOUT FINANCIAL AID HAVE A POORER PERSISTENCE RECORD THAN THE OTHERS, AND (5) IN GENERAL, THE GREATER THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE, THE GREATER THE STUDENT'S CHANCES FOR COMPLETING HIS STUDIES WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF ACADEMICALLY TALENTED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ARE PREVENTED FROM ENROLLING IN COLLEGE BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL NEED. NATIONAL CONCERN IS THEREFORE WARRANTED. (PS)
