In most states, high school seniors in higher-poverty school districts complete the FAFSA at lower rates than students in wealthier districts. To someone not familiar with the inequities of higher education, this may sound counterintuitive. However, new research demonstrates it is indeed the case.
For every 10-percentage-point increase in the proportion of children living in poverty, a school district’s FAFSA completion rate declines by about 3 percentage points, according to research published by NCAN and conducted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Lindsay Page, Danielle J. Lowry and Aizat Nurshatayeva. In most states, having a higher level of poverty in a district actually suppresses FAFSA completion. The researchers observed this trend both across and within states.
Read more at National College Access Network blog: http://www.collegeaccess.org/BlogItem?dg=c7821796-adae-48a5-844d-fc865bfbb539