Authors

Casandra E. Harper, University of MissouriFollow
Lisa Scheese, University of MissouriFollow
Enyu Zhou, Council of Graduate SchoolsFollow
Rajeev Darolia, University of KentuckyFollow

Who do College Students Turn to for Financial Aid and Student Loan Advice, and is it Advice Worth Following?

Short Title

Sources of Financial Aid Advice

Abstract

In this article, we examine the sources of information that college students turn to as they make decisions related to financial aid and student loans. Based on interview data from 25 undergraduate students from one public, four-year institution, our results reveal a great amount of variation in the number and nature of sources on which students rely. Across nearly all cases, students believed their access to assistance to be insufficient. This was true even for students with parents who attended college—commonly considered to be a high-quality source of support for students, when available—as students often found their advice outdated, confusing, or unhelpful.

Recommended Citation

Harper, Casandra E.; Scheese, Lisa; Zhou, Enyu; and Darolia, Rajeev (2021) "Who do College Students Turn to for Financial Aid and Student Loan Advice, and is it Advice Worth Following?," Journal of Student Financial Aid: Vol. 50 : Iss. 3 , Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55504/0884-9153.1729
Available at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/jsfa/vol50/iss3/2