• A substantial majority from each group said they would make their child’s education a top priority.
• Cost was by far the most frequently mentioned obstacle to attending college, cited by half the respondents.
• On average, four in 10 “potentials” said they were unfamiliar with the types of financial aid available. That percentage is more than twice that of college “achievers.”
• On average, about a third of all respondents said they did not receive any financial aid information during middle or high school. College achievers reported faring better than their potential counterparts: Just 26 percent of all achievers report not receiving information, compared to 42 percent of potentials.
• The vast majority of all respondents said they would have preferred to receive information about financial aid in their sophomore year or earlier.
• A substantial majority of all respondents said they wished someone had taken the time to better explain their options and opportunities for financial aid.
“The lack of knowledge about financial resources continues to be an unnecessary barrier to a college education for too many Americans,” says Kathleen deLaski, president of The Sallie Mae Fund.
© Copyright 2005 by DiverseEducation.com
