2008 FEDERAL STUDENT AID AWARENESS SURVEY
(STUDENTS, IN-PERSON ADMINISTRATION)
Note: Will be administered to high school students in person at public locations in Long Beach. Items or text in italics are not read to respondent. For all questions with instructions “probe; mark all that apply,” first response will be noted.
Introduction:
Screener
Intro1. HELLO, My name is _____. I'm conducting a survey for the U.S. Department of Education with high school age students and their preparations for attending college. Your responses can help improve programs that make it possible for more people to go to college.
S1. Were you a high school student in the Long Beach Unified Schools in the school year ending in June 2008?
01 Yes, continue
02 No, [Terminate]
99 Refused [Terminate]
(Termination statement) Thank you very much, but we are only interviewing Long Beach high school students. Thank you for your time.
(PRESURVEY INTRO)
S3. I won't ask for your name, address or other personal information that can identify you. Your participation is by choice and you may decline to participate at all. You don't have to answer any question you don't want to, and you can end the interview at any time. The interview takes approximately 9 minutes and any information you give us will be anonymous. If you have any questions about this survey, I will provide a telephone number for you to call to get more information about the study or your rights as a research participant. Would you like for me to give you that number now?
US Department of Education: Mary K Muncie 202-377-3202
Continue
99 Refused [Terminate]
Let’s get started. First, I’d like to ask you some questions about going to college or some other type of school after high school.
Q1. Are you planning to go to college, trade or technical school after high school?
01 Yes
02 No
97 Unsure/haven’t decided
99 Refused
Q2. Now, think about paying for college, trade or technical school. Where would you go to find information about ways to pay for college? [Probe; mark all that apply.][MUL=14][DO NOT READ]
01 High school or guidance counselor
02 College/school financial aid office
03 Bookstore (e.g., Borders, Barnes & Noble)
04 Friends and colleagues
05 Family members
06 Specialists, advisors or HR personnel at work or in union
07 Library - look for books/articles/publications
08 Web site/Internet/computer/on line
09 U.S. Department of Education web site
10 U.S. Department of Education publications
11 College entrance publications (e.g. Peterson’s, College Board)
12 Magazines (e.g., US News and World Report)
13 College catalogues, materials, publications
14 Financial advisor/planner
15 Financial institution (banks, credit unions)
16 Other (specify):_____________________
17 Don’t need the information/Already know how to pay
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
[If Q2 =08 or 09, skip to Q4. Otherwise go directly to Q3]
Q3. Have you ever looked for information about paying for college/school on the Internet?
01 Yes
No [GO to Q3A]
Don’t know [skip to Q3A]
99 Refused [skip to Q6]
Q3A. Would you ever look for information about paying for college/school on the Internet?
01 Yes
No [skip to Q6]
Don’t know [skip to Q6]
99 Refused [skip to Q6]
Q4.What search terms/words would you use or have you used on the Internet? [Probe; mark all that apply.][MUL=10] [DO NOT READ]
Financial aid
Scholarships
Grants
Student aid
Paying for/financing/funding for college/university/school
Loans, college loans, student loans
FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid
U.S. Department of Education
State Department of Education
Other (specify):___________
Tuition
Name of the college, university, or school
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
Q4a. Are there particular websites you {visited} would go to? [Probe; mark all that apply.] [MUL=11] [DO NOT READ]
01 The FAFSA or www.fafsa.ed.gov
02 Federal Student Aid orFederalStudentAid.ed.gov or StudentAid.ed.gov
03 FAFSA4caster.ed.gov
04 ed.gov or U.S. Department of Education
05 State organization or State Department of Education (specify):_________
06 Yahoo!, Google, AOL or other search engine
07 finaid.org
08 Sallie Mae
09 College Board
10 FAFSA.com
11 fastweb.com
12 mapping-your-future.org
13 knowhow2go.org
14 MyRichUncle.com
15 college.gov
16 Other (specify):______________
17 Financial institutions (banks, credit unions) website
18 Name of the college/university/school (financial aid office) website
97 Nothing in particular/would just look/don’t know
99 Refused
Q5a-c . Think about how much you trust information or advice on preparing and paying for college from different Internet sources. Some Internet sources of information are from private, for profit companies; these usually have a web address that ends in .com. Some are from non-profit organizations; these usually have a web site ending in .org. Finally, some are from government agencies; these usually have a web site ending in .gov. Using a scale from 1 to 7 where 1 is strongly disagree and 7 is strongly agree, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Q5a . I trust the accuracy of the information or advice about paying for college/school provided by private companies with .com web sites. Would you say you [Show response card]:
1 Strongly Disagree
2 Disagree
3 Slightly Disagree
4 Neither Agree nor Disagree
5 Slightly Agree
6 Agree
7 Strongly Agree
97-Don’t know
99-Refused
Q5b .I trust in the accuracy of the information or advice about paying for college/school provided by non-profit organizations with .org web sites. Would you say you:
1 Strongly Disagree
2 Disagree
3 Slightly Disagree
4 Neither Agree nor Disagree
5 Slightly Agree
6 Agree
7 Strongly Agree
97-Don’t know
99-Refused
Q5c . I trust in the accuracy of the information or advice about paying for college/school provided by government agencies with .gov web sites.. Would you say you:
1 Strongly Disagree
2 Disagree
3 Slightly Disagree
4 Neither Agree nor Disagree
5 Slightly Agree
6 Agree
7 Strongly Agree
97-Don’t know
99-Refused
[If Q4a =01, skip to Q7]
Q6. Have you ever heard of the FAFSA? [Pronounce rather than spell out]
02 No [Skip to Q8]
97 Don’t know [Skip to Q8]
99. Refused [Skip to Q8]
Q7. What is the FAFSA? [Single response] [DO NOT READ]
01 Application for government-sponsored student financial aid [Skip to Q8]
02 Web site for student financial aid [Skip to Q8]
03 Web site for college applications/advanced college credit [Skip to Q8]
04 Free Application for Federal Student Aid [Skip to Q8]
06 Process of determining eligibility for student financial aid [Skip to Q8]
07 Government grants, loans, aid, scholarships, assistance programs[Proceed to Q7a]
08 Other (specify):___________________________ [Proceed to Q7a]
97 Don’t know [Proceed to Q7a]
99 Refused [Proceed to Q7a]
Q7a. Would you say the FAFSA is [Read list]
01 An application for government-sponsored student financial aid
02 A web site for student financial aid
03 A web site for college applications/advanced college credit
Don’t know
99 Refused
Q8. To the best of your knowledge, do you have to pay to file the FAFSA? [DO NOT READ]
01 Yes, have to pay
02 No, it’s free
03 No, but I chose to pay
04 It depends [no further clarification]
05 It depends on the amount of data I reveal
07 Other (specify):___________________________
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
Q9. Do you know of any Federal government agency that provides student financial aid for college, trade or technical school?
Yes
No [Skip to Q 10]
Don’t know [Skip to Q 10]
99 Refused [Skip to Q 10)]
[IF Q9=”yes”]
Q9a. Which one(s)? [Probe for any others; mark all that apply.][MUL=7] [DO NOT READ]
01 Federal Student Aid/Office of Federal Student Aid [Skip to Q 10a]
02 FSA [Skip to Q10a]
03 U.S. Department of Education
04 State Department of Education
05 U.S. Armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, ROTC etc.) or Department of Defense
06 Veterans Administration
07 Other (specify):____________
08 Federal loan, grant, or program (Stafford, Perkins, Pell, Work Study)
09 State grant or scholarship program (Cal grant, hope scholarship, Bright Futures etc.)
10 Sallie Mae or guarantee agency
Don’t know
99 Refused
Q10. Have you ever heard of FSA or the Office of Federal Student Aid at the U.S. Department of Education?
02 No [Skip to Q14]
Don’t know [Skip to Q14]
99 Refused [Skip to Q14]
Q10a. From what sources did you hear of FSA or the Office of Federal Student Aid at the U.S. Department of Education? Sources might include: media or things you’ve seen or heard; people you’ve talked to; and places you’ve gone to. [Probe; mark all that apply.][DO NOT READ]
TV
Radio
Print advertisement, poster or publication
Newspaper or magazine article
High school guidance counselor or teacher
College education advisor, counselor, admissions officer or recruiter
Friend or family member
College fair, workshop or event on applying for college or financial aid
07 Other (specify):_______
Q11. Do you know what FSA or the Office of Federal Student Aid at the U.S. Department of Education does? [Probe; mark all that apply.] [DO NOT READ]
01 Determines eligibility for loans
02 Determines eligibility for grants/Pell grants
03 Determines if I/we get financial aid or money for school/college or education after high school
04 Makes, provides loans
05 Gives grants, money, scholarships, aid
06 Encourages people to go to college/school, provides information on going to school/college or education after high school
07 Promotes access to higher education for all Americans, helps people better their lives/get better jobs through education, gives everyone a chance to go to college or other aspiring/motivating message
08 Other (specify):_______
No / Don’t know
99 Refused
Q12. The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) uses a slogan in its publications and on its web site. Have you ever heard it?
01 Yes
02 No [skip to Q13]
Don’t know [skip to Q13]
99 Refused [skip to Q13]
Q12a. What is it? [DO NOT READ]
02 Start here. Go further.
03 Other (specify):___________
Don’t know
99 Refused
Q13. Now I’m going to read you a few slogans. Tell me if you have heard any of them used by the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). [Present in random order] [Mark all that apply.]
A. We help put America through school [Do not read if mentioned in Q12a]
B. Start here, go further [Do not read if mentioned in Q12a]
C. Know how to go
D. College is possible
E. The most costly education is the one not begun
Yes
No
Don’t know
99 Refused
Q14. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Financial aid is available for education and training after high school for any American who needs it. Using a scale from 1 to 7 where 1 is strongly disagree and 7 is strongly agree, would you say you [Show response card]:
1 Strongly Disagree
2 Disagree
3 Slightly Disagree
4 Neither Agree nor Disagree
5 Slightly Agree
6 Agree
7 Strongly Agree
97-Don’t know
99-Refused
Q15. Many families need help paying for college, trade or technical school even after getting scholarships or grants. If families like yours need help paying for college, is it a good idea to take out a loan?
01 Yes [Skip to Q17]
02 No
03 It depends/sometimes
97 Don’t know [Skip to Q17]
99 Refused [Skip to Q17]
Q16. Why do you think it might not be a good idea to take out a loan? [Probe for multiple responses] [DO NOT READ]
01 Not able to get a loan/have bad credit
02 Not able to pay it back/don’t have enough money
03 Do not have a job to get a loan
04 May not have job after college/school
05 May not finish college/school
06 Interest rates are too high/interest makes it more expensive
07 Other (specify):___________
08 Financial burden, debt that might be difficult, take a long time to pay back
09 May not need it, should use other means (grants, scholarships, aid, savings)
Don’t know
99 Refused
Q17. Did you know that Federal student loans have lower interest rates than most other loans?
01 Yes
02 No
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
We’re almost finished. I’d just like to ask you a few background questions. First, I’m going to ask some questions about the last school year, that is, August 2007 through June 2008.
Q18. How many people in your household, if any, attended college, trade, or technical school during the last school year?
____ (enter number)
99 Refused
Q19.What is the highest grade in school or level of education that your mother/female guardian completed?
01 Less than high school
02 High school graduate or GED
03 Some college
04 Community or Junior college degree
05 Tech or trade school
06 College degree
07 Some graduate school
08 Graduate or professional degree (MA, MS, PhD, JD, MD etc.)
09 NO MOTHER/FEMALE GUARDIAN [DO NOT READ]
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
Q20.What is the highest grade in school or level of education that your father/male guardian completed?
01 Less than high school
02 High school graduate or GED
03 Some college
04 Community or Junior college degree
05 Tech or trade school
06 College degree
07 Some graduate school
08 Graduate or professional degree (MA, MS, PhD, JD, MD etc.)
09 NO FATHER/MALE GUARDIAN [DO NOT READ]
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
Q20a. What grade in high school did you attend during the last school year?
9th grade/Freshman
10th grade/Sophomore
11th grade/Junior
12th grade/Senior
99 Refused
Q21. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?
01 Yes
02 No
97 Don’t Know
99 Refused
Q22. Which one or more of the following best describes your race? Would you say you are …? [Read items 01-05. Multiple responses accepted.] [MUL=6]
01 White
02 Black or African-American
03 Asian
04 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
05 American Indian or Alaska Native
[Do not read items below.]
06 Other (specify):_____________
97 Don’t know
99 Refused
Q23. Does your family own or rent your home, or have some other arrangement?
01 Own (or pay mortgage)
02 Rent
03 Other (specify):_______________________
97 Not sure
99 Refused
Q24. [Interviewer: record gender]
MALE
FEMALE
Closing Statement: Those are all the questions we have for you today. Thank you for your time.
Macro….Federal
Student Aid 27 July 08 Long Beach
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | FSA Awareness Survey |
| Author | Daniel.M.Geller |
| Last Modified By | DoED User |
| File Modified | 2008-12-01 |
| File Created | 2008-12-01 |