Developing Strategies to Increase Federal Student Aid Applications
Client
City University of New York
Faculty
Corey Blay
Team
Emily Forgione, Gail Hankin, David Luscombe, Sawyeh Maghsoodloo
| The City University of New York (CUNY), America’s largest public university system, serves over a quarter million students across the five boroughs of NYC. CUNY schools provide opportunities for a diverse student body, with a large share of undergraduates hailing from families that earn less than $20,000 a year. Seeking to improve CUNY’s financial accessibility, the CUNY Office of Policy Research engaged a Capstone team to help understand why students fail to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and determine the most effective interventions to increase FAFSA participation. The team conducted a literature review of existing research and interventions, performed a quantitative data analysis to identify characteristics of FAFSA non-filers at CUNY, and surveyed students to supplement statistical findings with real narratives. The team’s final report analyzes their findings and recommends targeted interventions to increase FAFSA filing rates and help eligible students take full advantage of federal aid resources. |
Focus Areas
Capstone Year
2017-2018