Tennessee’s Burden: How Students Apply for State Financial Aid within One Southern State

Annie Everett (), Kelly Rosinger, Dominique J. Baker, Hyung-Jung Kim, Robert Kelchen and Justin C. Ortagus
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Annie Everett: Penn State University
Kelly Rosinger: Penn State University
Dominique J. Baker: University of Delaware
Hyung-Jung Kim: Penn State University
Robert Kelchen: University of Tennessee
Justin C. Ortagus: University of Florida

Research in Higher Education, 2024, vol. 65, issue 8, No 5, 1826-1852

Abstract: Abstract Administrative burden, or the frictions individuals experience in accessing public programs, has implications for whether and which eligible individuals receive aid. While prior research documents barriers to accessing federal financial aid, less is known about the extent to which state aid programs impose administrative burden, how administrative burden varies across aid programs, or how administrative burden relates to target populations. This study examines administrative burden in 23 state aid programs in Tennessee. We find programs targeting less-advantaged students (technical and community college students) had lower burdens than programs where aid could be used in the four-year sector or across sectors. The state’s only program explicitly targeting racially minoritized students had a significantly higher burden than other aid programs. Programs targeting more-advantaged students (merit-aid programs, students at four-year colleges and universities) had similar burdens relative to other programs. We discuss implications for designing more equitable and effective state aid programs.

Keywords: Administrative Burden; Higher Education; State Policy; Financial aid; Free College (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11162-024-09793-8

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