Rural/Non-Rural Differences among Pennsylvania FAFSA Applicants Pursuing the Same Type of Postsecondary Degree

To support rural postsecondary students' college access and completion, researchers, policy makers, and educators need a more comprehensive understanding of their demographic characteristics and financial needs, especially compared to nonrural students. Previous rural-nonrural analyses have not...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of research in rural education Vol. 32; no. 7
Main Authors Prins, Esther, Kassab, Cathy
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Penn State University College of Education, Center on Rural Education and Communities 2017
Subjects
Administrators
Adult Learning
Age Differences
College Students
Dislocated Workers
Educational Attainment
Family Income
Federal Aid
Geographic Location
High School Graduates
Institutional Characteristics
Interviews
Marital Status
Parent Background
Parent Responsibility
Paying for College
Postsecondary Education
Poverty
Rural Areas
Rural Schools
Rural Urban Differences
Student Characteristics
Student Financial Aid
Student Needs
Suburban Schools
Urban Schools
Pennsylvania
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Summary:To support rural postsecondary students' college access and completion, researchers, policy makers, and educators need a more comprehensive understanding of their demographic characteristics and financial needs, especially compared to nonrural students. Previous rural-nonrural analyses have not disaggregated students by degree type (bachelor's, associate's, or certificate/diploma). Accordingly, this article analyzes the demographic, financial, and educational characteristics of Pennsylvania postsecondary students; identifies rural-nonrural differences among students pursuing the same type of degree; and examines the distinctive needs and challenges of rural postsecondary students. The primary data source is the 2010-11 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, n = 610,925 Pennsylvania applicants), supplemented by interviews with two policy experts and six financial aid administrators at rural postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania. Students from rural counties were underrepresented among FAFSA applicants. Salient geographic differences included the type of institution students planned to attend, type of secondary diploma, marital status, age, adult learner status, parental education, dislocated worker status, family income, poverty, and expected family contribution. The findings suggest that in Pennsylvania, geographic location structures who pursues higher education and applies for the FAFSA, their financial circumstances, and the types of institutions they select.
ISSN:1551-0670
1551-0670