Do Single Mothers Take Their Share?: FAFSA Completion among Aid-Eligible Female Students

Autor/inn/en	Radey, Melissa; Cheatham, Leah P.
Titel	Do Single Mothers Take Their Share?: FAFSA Completion among Aid-Eligible Female Students
Quelle	In: Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 6 (2013) 4, S.261-275 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1938-8926
DOI	10.1037/a0035089
Schlagwörter	Federal Aid; Student Financial Aid; Females; Eligibility; One Parent Family; Mothers; Poverty; Student Characteristics; Racial Differences; Influences; Regression (Statistics); Interaction; Postsecondary Education; Access to Education; College Students; At Risk Students; Statistical Analysis; Family Structure; Enrollment; Institutional Characteristics; Educational Attainment; Nontraditional Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Finanzielle Beihilfe; Studienfinanzierung; Studienförderung; Weibliches Geschlecht; Eignung; Single parent family; Ein-Eltern-Familie; Mother; Mutter; Armut; Rassenunterschied; Influence; Einfluss; Einflussfaktor; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Interaktion; Post-secondary education; Tertiäre Bildung; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Collegestudent; Statistische Analyse; Familienkonstellation; Familiensystem; Einschulung; Bildungsabschluss; Bildungsgut
Abstract	Approximately 17% of college students are single mothers, a growing and vulnerable subpopulation of women (Miller, Gault, & Thorman, 2011). Although postsecondary education promotes poverty exit, many single mothers--40% of whom live below the poverty line--lack the financial resources for attendance. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a first step to accessing aid. This study uses data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:08) to describe and analyze how student characteristics influence FAFSA application rates among low-income, aid-eligible women and consider how student status (single mother, other independent, or dependent student), race/ethnicity, and poverty level intersect to influence application rates. Descriptive findings showed that almost four-fifths of students filed FAFSAs, with 87% of single mothers doing so. Logistic regression results indicate that single mothers' FAFSA completion advantage disappears and becomes a disadvantage after considering economic and nontraditional characteristics. Significant interactions between poverty level and student status reveal that the poorest aid-eligible single mothers filed at lower than expected rates. Findings support two policy recommendations: FAFSA simplification and targeted personal application assistance. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01