Who Gets Student Aid?: Variations in Access to Aid

Data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS) reveal substantial differences among types of institutions in how likely their students are to receive financial aid, including federal aid. Students in proprietary vocational schools are much more likely than others to receive aid, while those attending community colleges are much less likely. Because community college students are especially sensitive to costs and because evidence indicates that financial aid is more effective in two-year colleges than in four-year colleges, this pattern is cause for concern.