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The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment / Eric P. Bettinger, Bridget Terry Long, Philip Oreopoulos, Lisa Sanbonmatsu.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Bettinger, Eric.
- Series:
- Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w15361.
- NBER working paper series no. w15361
- Language:
- English
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);
- Other Title:
- The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions
- Place of Publication:
- Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2009.
- Summary:
- Growing concerns about low awareness and take-up rates for government support programs like college financial aid have spurred calls to simplify the application process and enhance visibility. This project examines the effects of two experimental treatments designed to test of the importance of simplification and information using a random assignment research design. H&R Block tax professionals helped low- to moderate-income families complete the FAFSA, the federal application for financial aid. Families were then given an estimate of their eligibility for government aid as well as information about local postsecondary options. A second randomly-chosen group of individuals received only personalized aid eligibility information but did not receive help completing the FAFSA. Comparing the outcomes of participants in the treatment groups to a control group using multiple sources of administrative data, the analysis suggests that individuals who received assistance with the FAFSA and information about aid were substantially more likely to submit the aid application, enroll in college the following fall, and receive more financial aid. These results suggest that simplification and providing information could be effective ways to improve college access. However, only providing aid eligibility information without also giving assistance with the form had no significant effect on FAFSA submission rates.
- Notes:
- September 2009.
- Print version record
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