Institutional Meritbased Aid

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Institutional Merit-based Aid
Kate Ross, EdD Candidate Dr. Michelle Nilson,
Assistant Professor

• The effects on student aspirations, choice,
  participation

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Purpose
• Research Questions
• Method
• Theoretical Frameworks
• Pilot Findings
• Observations and Questions

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Introduction

• Little research on institutional merit-based aid
  in Canada
• Little known about students who receive
  scholarship offers and whether the offer effected
  their choice

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Research Purpose

• The effects of student/parent aspirations on
  behaviour leading to an entrance scholarship
  offer
• Understand how entrance scholarships effect the
  choice to attend a comprehensive Canadian
  university
• Determine whether there are differences by
  student characteristics first-generation
  learner, immigrant, child of immigrant, or
  multi-generational Canadian

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Research Question

• What is the effect of merit-based institutional
  financial aid on student aspirations, choice, and
  participation at a comprehensive Canadian
  university?

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Research Sub-questions

• 1. What role did the different types of
  institutional merit-based aid play in students
  decision to attend university?
• 2. What are the similarities and differences in
  the student population using the following
  variables
• Merit-aid type (automatic versus application)
• Merit-aid level (amount, by category)
• Immigrant/First generation Canadian/ Multi-
  generational Canadian status
• Parent/Guardian level of education?
• Socio-economic status (Postal code)

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Research sub-questions

• 3. What is the aspiration effect of institutional
  merit-based aid on students academic
  performance?
• 4. What role does the aspiration of
  parents/guardians play in affecting the academic
  performance of children in achieving merit-based
  financial aid?
• 5. What did it mean to the student and their
  family to receive institutional merit-based aid?

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Methodology

• Concurrent triangulation mixed methods design
  (Creswell, 2008)
• Quantitative methods has been norm in FA
  research Qualitative methods may help provide
  new insights (Perna, 2008 St. John, 2006)
• On-line survey using forced-choice and open-ended
  questions
• Population sample all applicants that received
  an offer of merit-based aid

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Theoretical Frameworks

• College Choice Theory
• Predisposition (Grade 7)
• Search (Grade 10)
• Choice (Grade 11)
• (Hossler Gallagher, 1987)

Whether Where
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Theoretical Framework

• Situated Context

Social, Political Economic Social,
Political Economic
School/Community School/Community
Family Family
Habitus
Individual
(Perna, 2006)
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Social, Political Economic Context

• Federal Context
• No federal Ministry of Education
• Federal financial aid policy primarily a student
  loan program
• Federal tax credits for students and savings
  plans in place for parents
• Canadas immigration policy skilled workers
  class in effect since 2008
• Provincial Context
• BC tuition cap in place since mid-2000s
• Provincial grant program removed for student
  loans

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School/Community Context

• Metropolitan area
• Immigrant population 40 of Census Metro Area
  (CMA)
• City of University
• Immigrant population over 50 (Stats Can 2006)
• 55 of city population identify themselves as a
  visible minority (CMA 42)

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School/Community Context 2.0

• University Context
• Predominantly commuter campuses research
  intensive
• 53 of university population identified
  themselves as a visible minority (CUSC, 2008)
• Admission averages range from 78 to 90
• Tri-mester system
• 22, 000 Undergraduate, 3500 Graduate Students
• Tuition 2300/term
• Scholarship Recipient Population
• 2200 students received offer of merit aid for
  Fall 2009
• Grant amounts vary from 500 (1 time) to 34,000
  (over 8 semesters)

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Family Context Level of Education
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Pilot Individual Context

• Seven students completed the survey
• Four of seven received multiple offers
• Six born in Canada, one immigrant
• Four of seven had either both parents or one
  parent who was an immigrant
• Mothers speak 5 different languages

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Pilot Findings Research Question 3

• What is the aspiration effect of institutional
  merit-based aid on students academic
  performance?

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Pilot findings

• It was a great feeling to know that my academic
  accomplishments were being recognized. It also
  motivated me to study more and strive for higher
  academic goals.
• Male student, Faculty of Science
• One term academic scholarship

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Research Question 4

• What role does the aspiration of
  parents/guardians play in affecting the academic
  performance of children in achieving merit-based
  financial aid?

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Pilot findings

• High academic achievement is an integral part
  of our Eastern European culture. Striving for,
  and achieving high marks is an honour and gains
  the respect of friends and family members. As
  immigrants, I wanted to go through the Canadian
  education system (as far as a Masters) to ensure
  that my children have a stable future (unlike my
  parents who had to re-build their careers).
• Female student, Faculty of Arts Social
  Sciences
• Academic Entrance Scholarship

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Research Question 5

• What did it mean to the student and their family
  to receive institutional merit-based aid?

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Pilot findings

• I went to a private school and so the deal with
  my parents is that they paid for my education up
  until graduation and then I paid for university.
  They were relieved because they would of had to
  make me some financial loans. They were also
  proud and not surprised. They expected it from
  me.
• Female student, Faculty of Arts Social
  Sciences
• Major Entrance Scholarship

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Observations and Questions

• That potentially there is an immigrant influence
  on student aspirations
• Parental education is a significant factor in
  being offered a scholarship
• Will mothers education be more important than
  fathers?
• Will there be differences for the different types
  of scholarships?

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Bibliography

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• Perna, L. W., Titus, M. A. (2004).
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Bibliography

• Perna, L. W. (2006). Understanding the
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• Perna, L. W. (2006). Understanding the
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• Perna, L. W. (2008). High school students'
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• St. John, Edward P. (2006). Contending with
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• Zeidner, T. (2006). Information and access
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Questions