1. Extending the Reach of Financial Aid to Non-Traditional Students
Laurie Gavrin
Director for Research and Policy
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana
SFARN conference June 10-12, 2009 Indianapolis

2. Non-Traditional Students
Two Approaches, based on legislative inquiry:
Ten Year Rule
Part-Time Aid
Ten Year Rule: Those who used aid ten or more years ago, did not complete eligibility, and seek SSACI aid again. Law that prevented giving aid to this group was removed in Spring 2008 legislative session.
Part-Time Aid: About $5M each year; college chooses the students using SSACI guidelines, $$$ less than total need in state, so incomplete picture
Dataset: FAFSA plus SSACI generated offers and usage

3. Ten Year Rule
In AY, anyone who used aid in 1998 or earlier became eligible to use aid again.
16,134 fitting these criteria applied
2,711 (16.8%) received full-time aid offers ($10,081,272)
1,334 (49.2% of offers) used money ($3,485,206):
Full-Time aid: $2,918,172
21st Century Scholars: $376,722 (supplemental)
National Guard: $168,501 (supplemental)
Part-Time aid: $21,811
Utilization rate on original offer dollars: 34.57%, among the lower dollar-based utilization rates.
Note that they did not use large amounts of PT aid.

4. Demographics/Ten Year Rule
Of those students receiving offers, 73% had at least one family member in addition to themselves.
53.8% were seeking 1st BS; 38.2% were seeking Associate’s; 3.6% were seeking certificates (SSACI funds these only at public 2 Year colleges)
72.7% indicated a desire to attend full-time

5. Demographics/Ten Year Rule, ctd
Offers: mean AGI: $25,606; median AGI: $23,810
77.1% women; 22.8% men received offers
35.7% married (of which 8% are separated)
Used Awards: 1334 students; 765 stayed in the same college for two semesters
79.5% women; 20.5% men used awards
Age: Range years; mean 36.5 years, Std Dev 6.5 years
411 dropped out after 1 term; 111 dropped in for 2nd term; with switching, 42%

6. Ten Year Rule Mostly women with families, mid-thirties
Same median AGI as public 2 Year student: $23,000
(Traditional public 4 Year: $29,000; Traditional private: $38,000)
Most intending to go full-time for a 1st bachelor’s degree, one-third seeking associate’s
Either succeed in using full-time aid, or end up using very little PT$ for the 301 PT students (low credit hours/student)
In dollars terms, utilization rate of 35% is low, comparable to rates at proprietary colleges (33%), lower than public 4 year rates (50-58%), private colleges (62-64%) but higher than at public 2 Year colleges (28-30%)

7. Enrollment status between 2003 and 2005
Part-Time Aid
The following is based on work completed spring of 2008 by Amy Crouch.
4908 students received a part-time grant in AY
Excluding those with no award history and those attending quarter or trimester colleges, 2421 remain
Categorize by enrollment pattern:
Enrollment status between 2003 and 2005
# of students
% of students
Mostly part-time
1337
55.23%
Mostly full-time
1084
44.77%
 Total
2421
100.00%

8. Focus on Mostly Part-Time
Independent: 95.74%, as colleges follow SSACI guidelines focusing on this group
Women: 86% of this group are women
Late 20’s in age; see table
Attending these colleges:
Age
Number
Percent
to age 20 28
2.09%
21 to 25
277
20.72%
26 to 30
369
27.60%
31 to 35
244
18.25%
36 to 40
171
12.79%
41 to 45
114
8.53%
46 to 50 84
6.28%
51 to 55 34
2.54%
56 to 60 14
1.05%
61 to 65 1
0.07%
above 65
Total
1337
100.00%
College Type
Number
Percent
Public
658
49.21%
Private
279
20.87%
IVTCCI-VU
400
29.92%
Total
1337
100.00%

9. Differences between mostly full-time and mostly part-time students
Both more likely to be independent, women, than full-time only students, but mostly full-time less so.
Mostly full-time students are on average, younger than mostly part-time students; full-time only students are even younger on average – the “traditional” student
Public 4 year Attendance
mostly part-time
49%
mostly full-time
61%
full-time only
58%

10. Different Approaches
From these two different groups we can see that, while some of these students are able to adapt to the programs already in place, for others a different approach might be necessary.
These groups would need a program tailored for:
Women with dependents, jobs
Students who desire to go full-time but cannot
Students seeking 4 year degrees at public colleges
Lower income students
Students with some educational background but not current

11. 2009-2010 Academic Year Large increases in applicants
Higher levels of need (autozero)
Legislature currently in special session, so
No award maxima yet
No public college tuitions known yet
Budget constraints are likely to limit all programs, including those affecting adult students.

12. Comments/Questions
Contact Information:
150 W. Market St. Ste 500
Indianapolis, IN 46204