using sem principles to  understand enrollment behaviors  of need-based aid recipients

Using SEM Principles to Understand Enrollment Behaviors of Need-Based Aid Recipients

Tomika FergusonDavid Johnson

Indiana UniversityNovember 12, 2013

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Presentation Outline

• The 21st Century Scholarship Program

• Enrollment behaviors study – Cohort demographics– Student responses

• Implications for practice• Institutional strategies to address

target populations• Discussion

Enrollment Behaviors Study

Office of Enrollment Management -Mindset for Success Campaign:Where is the greatest cross-section and opportunity for reaching low-income students?

Proposed solution:Define and better understand the enrollment behaviors of 21st Century Scholars who are current students.

The 21st Century Scholars Program21st Century Scholars State Program

• Created in 1990 by the state of Indiana• Students sign up in 7th and 8th grade• Covers tuition and fees at a public, in-state

institution

21st Century Scholarship Covenant Award• Created in 2007 by Indiana University -

Bloomington• Grant funding to cover the costs of

room/board and books• Excludes summers, transfers.

ENROLLMENT BEHAVIOR:COHORT DEMOGRAPHICS

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 6

Goal One: Understand the Demographics of the Last Three Cohorts(2010, 2011, 2012)

Cohort Demographics

Freshman Cohort 2010* 2011 2012

Number enrolled 608 645 646

Average HS GPA** 3.50 3.54 3.54

Average SAT*** (converted ACT) 1082 1101 1092

First Generation 292 282 408

Institutional need-based aid offer 4724 5305 5358

*In 2010, the Office of Enrollment Management hired a Graduate Assistant charged enhancing the recruitment of 21st Century Scholars.

**The fall 2013 incoming freshman cohort consisted of 699 21st Century Scholars.

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Example of Data Comparison

2010 2012

Race/Ethnicity Number Avg SAT Avg HS GPA

African American 137 963 3.29

Am Indian/AK Nat 1 1160 3.65

Asian 23 1116 3.71

Hispanic/Latino 66 1018 3.45

Multiracial 53 1068 3.51

Refused/Other 2 1150 3.60

White 364 1155 3.63

Grand Total 646 1092 3.54

Race/Ethnicity Number Avg SAT Avg HS GPA

African American 159 944 3.28

Asian 16 1226 3.91

Hispanic/Latino 52 1046 3.54

Multiracial 45 1098 3.52

Refused/Other 1 1440 4.00

White 334 1143 3.64

Grand Total 607 1082 3.54

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 10

Goal Two: Understand the Timing of Application and Paid Deposits

Application Submission Dates

7-Oct-08 18-Aug-09 2-Sep-09 17-Sep-09 4-Oct-09 19-Oct-09 3-Nov-09 22-Nov-0921-Dec-0926-Apr-1005

1015202530354045

Application Submission Dates - 2010

Total

9/3/2010 8/17/2011 9/4/2011 9/22/2011 10/10/2011 10/29/2011 11/21/2011 1/3/20120

5

10

15

20

25

30

Application Submission Dates - 2012

Total

332/23,690

577/23,106

Institutional Influence

Enrollment Deposit Dates

25JUL2012 10/31/2011 12/1/2011 1/6/2012 2/6/2012 3/1/2012 3/29/2012 4/24/2012 6/7/20120

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Deposit Dates - 2012

Total

9/21/2009 11/16/2009 12/22/2009 1/21/2010 2/17/2010 3/18/2010 4/16/2010 5/17/2010 7/12/20100

2

46

8

1012

14

1618

Deposit Dates - 2010

Total14%

18%

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 14

Goal Three: Identify 21st Century Scholars who Receive Merit Aid

Hudson-Holland Scholars Program

SCHOLAR SCHOLAR SCHOLAR2010 2011 2012

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

21st Century Scholars in Hudson-Holland Scholars Program

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 16

Hudson-Holland Scholars Program

2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Two or More Races

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Race and Ethnicity of Underrepresented Students

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Hutton Honors College

4108 4118 41280.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

21st Century Scholars in Hutton Honors College

ENROLLMENT BEHAVIOR:STUDENT RESPONSES

Soliciting Student Feedback

Two methods:1. Online survey

– 122 responses from over 1200 emails

2. Student focus groups– 2 focus groups– 9 participants

3. Nine questions

What influenced you to attend college?• Family• Better life/future• Get a better education• “Personal economic struggle”

“Almost all of my cousins ended up joining the military because they either flunked out of college or because they didn’t have the desire to attend. I wanted to have a future other than joining the service, and have always been pushed by my parents to go to a good college to better my future, and therefore, I worked hard to make this opportunity available to me.”

When Did You Begin to Think About Going to College?

Did you receive any information from IU that was helpful in preparing for college?

• Special scholarship/support programs• Academic/major focused• Deadlines for upcoming IU dates• Event invitations• *Print materials

“Hudson-Holland recruiters came to my high school to speak about the scholarships they offered…I also signed up for the school and program information to be sent to my house.”

When did you apply for college during your senior year?

What were the major factors…?

Important when considering college?

• Location• Affordability• Size• Academic Program• Prestige• Campus beauty• Campus traditions• Student

involvement

Influenced you to enroll at Indiana University?

• Affordability• Campus visits• Comfort on campus• Academics• Distance

“The main factor was money. I knew that if I wanted to attend college, I would have to pay for it myself because my parents could not afford to send me. I knew IU was the place for me.”

When you were accepted to college, what did you know about paying for it?

• Familiarity with the 21st Century Scholarship Program

• Existence of (institutional) scholarship opportunities

• Nothing• Federal funding• Optimism• Loans

“I knew it was expensive and I was getting help through the 21st Century Scholars (program). I was very worried about burdening my parents with financial need that they could not meet.”

Did you think that IU was affordable?

In what ways did the financial aid offered by IUB impact your decision to attend?

Had little influence on decision to attend• “It honestly didn’t impact my decision because other

schools I had looked at were similar in cost and financial aid.”

Positively influenced decision to attend• “It influenced my decision greatly. The only reason I

was able to attend was due to the 21st Century Scholars and IU Covenant. If it wasn’t for these scholarships then my only other option would have been going to a community college.”

Implications for Future Practice (Institutional)

• Examine Admissions/Scholarships/Financial Aid message timing – Early communication

– Communication based on institution dates

• Consider language of emails and print materials to be

• Place importance on non-Admissions contact with low-come students (communication, shared materials)

• Remember competitors

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 31

Where IUB Admits Go If Not IU:Indiana Residents Going in and Out of State

School Chosen by Indiana Residents who stayed in-state Number

School Chosen by Indiana Residents who went out of state Number

Purdue University - West Lafayette 1,045 Miami University 54 Ball State University 419 University Of Dayton 36 IUPUI 299 Loyola University Chicago 32 Butler University 175 University Of Kentucky 28 Depauw University 124 The Ohio State University 26 University Of Southern Indiana 117 Xavier University 25 Indiana State University 100 Northwestern University 23 University Of Indianapolis 91 University Of Cincinnati 21 Indiana University Purdue Univ - Fort Wayne 77 University Of Louisville 20 Ivy Tech Community College 61 Depaul University 18

Destination Schools of Fall 2012 IUB indiana Resident Beginner Admits to IUB who did not attend IUB

INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 33

New Initiatives in Progress

• Community Based Organizations – new position

• Mindset for Success communication to 21st Century Scholar students and guidance counselors (Based on Hoxby research)

• I’m First Campaign with Center for Student Opportunity

• Pilot Program: Reminder texts to African American students in process of completing application

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 34

The Story of Net Cost, How to Apply, and Do We Accept Application Fee Waivers?!!

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 35

Get Your Mind Set For Success

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 36

Mindset for Success Campaign

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 37

“I’m First” – Center for Student Opportunity

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 38

“I’m First” – Center for Student Opportunity

I N D I A N A U N I V E R S I T Y 39

I’m First Purpose

• The I’m First website hosted by the Center for Student Opportunity, provides IU with a direct connection with over 2500 community based organizations (CBOs) across the country who serve a diverse population of middle- and high-school students who are primarily first-generation college students.

• Through I’m First, IU has the opportunity to communicate with thousands of first-generation college students who are interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

• Lastly, I’m First serves as a platform for IU to demonstrate a focused effort to recruit students from a targeted population by sharing information about key programs that support students at different phases of the undergraduate experiences in their nationally recognized guidebook, Guide to College. This book is in high schools, middle schools, CBOs, and homes around the country. 

Recap of Presentation

• The 21st Century Scholarship Program

• Enrollment behaviors study

– Cohort demographics

– Student responses

• Implications for practice

• Institutional strategies to address target

populations

Discussion

Dr. David Johnson, Vice-ProvostOffice for Enrollment Management

dj44@indiana.edu

Tomika Ferguson, Graduate AssistantOffice of Scholarshipstomiferg@indiana.edu