App K - Student Reference Material

Appendix K
NPSAS:12 Student Records

Reference Materials

Quick Guide to Providing Student Records Data 3

Script for the NPSAS Student Records System Tutorial 46

NPSAS:12 Student Records Upload Specifications 414

Quick Guide to Providing Student Records Data

In order to provide student records for the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), you will need to access the secure NPSAS Student Records System at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/NPSASschool. Log in using the username and password printed on the letter you received from RTI, then select Provide Student Records Data from the Data Entry Tasks menu to navigate to the Student Records Home page.

NOTE: You will need your institution’s username and password each time you, or other users at your institution, log in to the website. To ensure the security of your student data, it is important that you log off when you are going to be away from your computer and when you are finished with a data entry session.

There are 3 primary steps for providing student records data.

1 Enter Institution Information

First, you will need to provide or confirm selected information about your institution, including term start and end dates, types of placement exams for entering students, and the most prevalent institution aid programs. Click on each of the buttons, Term Information, Placement Exams, and Institution Aid, to provide your institution’s information, then click Save and Continue. When you have entered information in all three sections, click the Submit button on the Student Records Home page. After clicking Submit, the information can be viewed, but not changed, because it is then loaded into the student-level component of the system. For institutions with continuous enrollment, the Term Information button will be disabled.

2 Provide Student Records Data

The student-level data we are requesting include contacting information, budget, enrollment during the study year, and financial aid awarded. You can find details on what data NPSAS needs from the Forms/Instructions link on the NPSAS website.

Data can be provided via the NPSAS Student Records System by either entering data online or preparing data offline and then uploading completed data files. Specifically, there are four options to choose from, described below.

Entering Student Records online

Option 1: Case-Mode. Enter data online for one student at a time. Click on Case Mode, then select a student and a section to begin keying. After you have entered those data, you can either move to another section for that student or remain in the section and select another student. Validation can be performed at any time by clicking Validate. This will highlight missing data as well as data values that are out of the expected range or type.

Option 2: Grid-Mode. Enter data online for multiple students at a time, in a format resembling a spreadsheet. Click on Grid Mode and select one or more students and a section to begin keying. After you have entered those data, you can either move to another section for those students or select other students in the same section. Some fields allow you to cut and paste data. Validation can be performed at any time by clicking Save. This will highlight missing data as well as data values that are out of the expected range or type.

Preparing Student Records offline and then uploading data files

Option 3: Upload Data Files Created From Our Template. You may download an Excel template, fill in the requested data, and then upload the data. There is a button on the Student Records Home page to request the template. Because it must be customized for your institution, once you request it, the file will be prepared overnight. When the file is ready, you will be able to click Download Your Excel Template. You will need to enable macros so that the validations can be performed and so the data will be formatted in the way we can process. If you need assistance enabling macros, contact the Help Desk (information below) or view the tutorial available from the Forms/Instructions link on the study website. Each of the four Student Records sections has its own worksheet in the template file. If you key in the data, it will be validated as you enter it. If you cut and paste, the data will not be checked for errors until you upload. When keying is complete, click Prepare for Upload on the first worksheet of the template and save the four files that are created. Then, upload the files using the buttons on the Student Records Home page.

Option 4: Upload Data Files a Programmer Creates. A programmer can create and upload four data files following the specifications found on the Student Records Home page. We can only accept comma separated values (CSV) formatted files. Institutions with programming capability and relatively large sample sizes may prefer this option. There are buttons on the Student Records Home page to download the specifications for each file and to upload the data files.

For Option 3 and Option 4, when a file is uploaded it is checked for errors such as values outside of expected ranges. When errors are detected, they are displayed onscreen. Please correct these errors before attempting to upload the file again.

Regardless of the way in which you provide student records data, you may review and edit your data onscreen in the NPSAS Student Records System in either Case-Mode or Grid-Mode.

3 Finalize and Submit Student Records Data

Review Progress and Edit Data. When you click View Summary Data, you will be routed to the Student Records Summary page where each student has his/her own row and each section has its own column. You can locate the row for a student and the column of the section you would like to review. The link there will be named Empty, Partial, or Complete depending on how much data have been entered in the section for that student. To view a list of quality concerns, including missing or out of range values, click Validate. If you need to edit or key data, click on the Empty, Partial, or Complete link and you will be routed to Case-Mode for that student and section. You can then enter or edit data as needed. If you prefer to edit data in Grid-Mode, return to the Student Records Home page and select Grid Mode.

Change Student Study Eligibility. If you discover that a student does not meet the eligibility criteria for NPSAS (found under the heading Providing Student Records on the FAQs webpage), indicate this by unchecking the box in the Student is Eligible column in the student’s row. This action will alert us to not expect Student Records data for the student.

Lock Cases (Students). After you have provided and validated a student’s data, you will need to lock the case by clicking Lock in the Action column of that student’s row. Locking indicates that the data for that student are final and ready to be processed by RTI.

Retain a Copy of Your Data. If you would like to download the data you have provided for your records, go to the heading Download Your Data in CSV Format on the Student Records Home page. Click on the button for each file you would like to download and save to your computer.

Submit Data. When you have completed providing and editing the data for all of your students and the cases are locked, please alert us by clicking the Submit (Process My Records) button on the Student Records Home page. The button will appear once all cases are locked. Clicking on the button will generate an e-mail to your institution’s NPSAS coordinator confirming submission of the data.

Additional information is available on the NPSAS website, including a tutorial for using the NPSAS Student Records System from the Forms/Instructions link on the study website. If you need assistance, please contact the Help Desk toll-free at 1-888-677-2741 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Script for the NPSAS Student Records System Tutorial

Welcome to the tutorial for the 2011-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study Student Records System. The National Center for Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education has contracted RTI to conduct the study, known as NPSAS. This tutorial will explain how to access the NPSAS Student Records System and your options for providing and editing the data, including an overview of each.

In the Student Records phase of NPSAS, we are collecting data on students who were selected at random from the enrollment list provided by your institution. Generally, we will be collecting information on how to contact students, demographics, budget, enrollment, and financial aid awarded. You can find details on what data NPSAS needs from the Forms/Instructions link on the NPSAS website. A secure Web application, the NPSAS Student Records System, has been developed for staff at your institution to provide these data.

Before we begin, I’d like to thank you for participating in NPSAS.

To access the NPSAS Student Records System, you will need to navigate to the secure study website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/NPSASschool. Log in using the username and password printed at the bottom of the letter you received from RTI. You will need your username and password each time you, or other users from your institution, log in to the website. To ensure the security of your students’ data, it is important that you log off when you are going to be away from your computer and when you are finished with a data entry session. If you need assistance, contact Help Desk staff by calling toll free 1-888-677-2741 or via e-mail at [email protected]. This phone number and email can be found at the Contact Us page of the study website.

Please note that multiple users at your institution may provide data. Some institutions find it more efficient if staff in different departments provide different types of information. All users at your institution can use the same username and password that were provided in the letter we sent to you.

After logging in, you will see the Data Entry Tasks menu. Select Provide Student Records Data from the menu to reach the Student Records Home page.

Step 1 is to Enter Institution Information

To provide or confirm information about your institution, including term start and end dates, the placement exams used for entering students, and your most prevalent institution aid programs. Under the heading Enter Institution Information, there are three buttons: Term Information, Placement Exams, and Institution Aid. Click on each one [show clicking on Institution Aid button] to provide the requested information [scroll down the page], and then click Save and Continue [click Save and Continue]. This takes you back to the Student Records Home page.

Once you have entered information in the three areas, click the green Submit button [hover over the Submit button]. After clicking Submit, your institution-level information can be viewed but not changed [click on Institution Aid again and show that the Save and Continue button is no longer accessible].

If your institution has continuous enrollment, you will be able to see the Term Information button, but it will be disabled. When you enter enrollment data, you will need to indicate the months each student attended between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 (as well as the intensity) instead of indicating each term the student attended.

Step 2 is to Provide Student Records Data

You can provide data using the secure NPSAS Student Records System by either entering the data online or preparing data offline and then uploading data files. Within these choices are additional options that we’ll touch on in a moment; there are four options total. An important feature of the system is that once student-level data are entered (regardless of which option you select), they can be viewed, edited, and added to online within the system.

Now let’s cover the ways you can provide the Student Records data through the NPSAS Student Records System.

First, we’ll cover entering Student Records online and the options for that.

Would you prefer to enter data for a single student at a time or multiple students at a time? The answer to this question likely lies in how your institution stores and accesses student record data as well as your own preference. Let’s look at each option. And please note that you can switch between the two whenever you like.

If you want to enter data online for one student at a time, select Case-Mode from the Student Records Home page [click on Case Mode]. This is the first of the four options for providing the data. On the Case Mode Home page, select a student by clicking on the radio button next to his/her name in the first column of the table, Selected Student [select one student]. Then, select a content area--called a Section--by clicking one of the links on the right side of the screen such as “Student Info and Budget.” You will be routed to the data entry screen for the selected student and section. Key the requested data and, if you want to learn more about an item, click on the Help Icon when available [click on the one for Date of Birth]. At any time, you may click Validate [click Validate] to check for any quality issues such as entries that are outside of the expected range.

After you have completed entering and editing data for the selected student and section, you can then decide if you want to route to another section for that student or remain in the section and move to another student. To route to another section for a student, click Section in the upper right of the screen. If you want to remain in the section and move to another student, click Student in the upper right of the screen. The selected choice will turn a darker blue. Then, click Save and Next to enter your selection. [Click Section and Save and Next.]

Next, we’ll look at Grid-Mode, the second of the four options.

If you want to enter data online for multiple students at the same time, select Grid-Mode from the Student Records Home page [click on Grid Mode]. The format of Grid-Mode resembles a spreadsheet. On the Grid Mode Home page, you may select students by clicking on the checkbox next to his/her name in the first column of the table, Include [select all students]. You can also select all students, if desired, by clicking the checkbox in the column header. [Hover over the checkbox.]

Then, select a section by clicking one of the links on the right side of the screen, for example, “Student Info and Budget.” You will be routed to the data entry screen for the selected students and section. You can click on the Help Icon when displayed [click on the one for Date of Birth] to learn more about an item.

For each section, the first three columns—Study ID, Student ID, and Full Name – are frozen, allowing scrolling to the right while these columns remain fixed on the screen. You can sort the first three columns by clicking on the cell with the column name. [Do this for a full name.]

You can also filter the data to see one specific student at a time. To do so, type in the Study ID, Student ID, or Full Name in the blank fields just below the column names/headers. [Type in a student ID and show the filtered data for a moment.] All other students will be hidden from view until you delete the contents of the filter fields. [Delete the student ID you typed.]

Only 15 students are displayed on the screen at a time. If you select more than 15 students, the other students will be displayed on subsequent pages. [Hover over page 2 below the grid.] You can click the page number to navigate to a page.

Key in all of the requested information for the selected students. At any time, you may click Save [click Save] to check for any quality issues such as entries that are outside of the expected range. It only validates the students on the page you are on, not all pages. The errors detected will be displayed below the grid. If you click on the Study ID number in the error message, the cursor will relocate to the field with the error. [Click on the Study ID of an error message.]

After you have completed entering data for the selected students in Grid-Mode, you can then decide if you want to route to another section for the same students or change which students are selected. Click the link named Return to Grid Mode Home underneath the grid. [Click the link Return to Grid Mode.] On the Grid Mode Home page, you’ll see that the students you selected previously are still selected (if you have not logged out). You can either select a new section for the same students [hover over the section list] or select different students and then select a section [hover over the Include column]. Remember you can switch between Case-Mode and Grid-Mode if you like. Once you have entered data, they can be viewed, edited, or added to in either Case Mode or Grid Mode.

Please note that Grid Mode allows some cutting and pasting, but only in fields without dropdowns and only one cell at a time. If you plan to cut and paste a great deal of the data, one of the next two options may be a better choice for you. They involve preparing data offline and then uploading.

Now let’s cover preparing data offline and then uploading to the secure NPSAS Student Records System and the options for that.

Would you prefer to download an Excel template and key—or cut and paste—data and then upload the data to the NPSAS Student Records System?

Or would you prefer to create—or have a programmer create--data files following the specifications we provide and then upload the files? Institutions with programming capability and relatively large sample sizes may prefer the latter option, but keep in mind that we can accept only CSV (comma separated values) formatted files.

Besides the number of students sampled from your institution for whom you are being asked to provide data, your preference here will likely depend on how your institution stores and accesses student record data, as well as programmer availability. Let’s look at the third and fourth option for providing student records data.

If you prefer to download an Excel template and key, or cut and paste, data, then on the Student Records Home page, under the heading Prepare Student Records Offline, click Request Your Excel Template [hover over it]. Because we are creating a custom template for your institution, remember that the Download Your Excel Template function will not become active until the day after you request it. We will send the NPSAS coordinator at your institution an e-mail when the template is ready for download. When it is ready, the name of the link will change to Download Your Excel Template. Click this and select where, on your computer, you’d like to save the file until the data is later uploaded to the NPSAS Student Records System.

When you open the file, you may see a message on your screen that macros have been disabled. The template file needs macros for all features to work properly, including performing validation on the data and converting it to the format we need for processing. Please enable macros and accept the content of the file.

In Excel 2007, you can click the Options button that appears just after the alert message–if your macros have been disabled. [Show this alert message within Excel.]

Then, click “Enable this content.” [Show the pop-up where you can click this radio button.]

If you have another version of Excel, please refer to the section of this tutorial entitled, “Enabling Macros.” If you require assistance enabling macros, please contact the NPSAS Help Desk at 1-888-677-2741 or [email protected]. This phone number and email can be found at the Contact Us page of the study website.

Please note that if enabling macros is not possible due to institution restrictions, you will need to choose another method for providing student records data.

The Excel file has one row per student and one column per data element. Each Student Records section has its own worksheet in the file that needs to be completed. [click on the General worksheet and then the Student Info and Budget worksheet, using the “tabs” at the bottom of the screen.]

On each worksheet, the first three columns—Study ID, Student ID, and Full Name – are frozen, allowing scrolling to the right while these columns remain fixed on the screen. You can also sort the first three columns. Do so by right clicking on the cell with the column name, selecting “sort,” and then selecting which type of sort you want to perform. [Do this.] You can also sort by clicking “Data” on the toolbar at the top of the screen, then click “sort” and select the column(s) and order for sorting. Then click “ok.” [Do this.]

You can also filter the data to see one specific student at a time by typing in the Study ID, Student ID, or Full Name in the blanks just below the column names. [Type in a student ID and show the filtered data for a moment.] This will cause all other students to be hidden from view until you delete the contents of those fields. [Delete the student ID you typed.]

You may key or cut-and-paste data into the Excel template. If you key in the data, you will receive validation feedback as you go. For example, if a number is out of the expected range, like 1900 for a birth year, a message will pop up telling you the year is out of range. If you cut and paste data into the file instead of keying it, you will need to click the Validate button at the top of the worksheet to view the validation messages. This will validate the data for the students on the worksheet you are on, not all worksheets. The errors detected will be displayed below the data entry area. If you click on the Study ID number in an error message, the cursor will relocate to the field with the error. [Click on the Study ID of an error message.] Regardless of whether you key or cut and paste, the data will be validated when you are done and upload them to the NPSAS Student Records System. We’ll talk about uploading in a moment.

Once all data are entered and edited, you can upload the data to the study website. First, click the button Prepare for Upload at the top of the first worksheet. Then indicate where, on your computer, you want to store the files that will be created. Four CSV (Comma Separated Values) data files will be created and saved to the location you indicated: Contact Information, Student Info and Budget, Enrollment, and Aid Awarded. To upload the files, go to the heading Upload on the Student Records Home page, and click the button that matches the file you want to upload, such as Upload Student Info and Budget file. You will be routed to another screen where you can browse to find the file and then click Upload.

When a file is uploaded, it is checked for errors, such as values that are outside the expected range. Any errors that are detected will be listed on screen. Please correct them before uploading the file again. Please contact the Help Desk with any questions.

Once you have uploaded the data, you may add to, view, and edit your data, in either Case Mode or Grid Mode.

Now let’s talk about the fourth option for providing Student Records data.

Would you prefer to create—or have a programmer create--data files following the specifications we provide and then upload the files? We can accept only CSV (comma separated values) formatted files. Institutions with programming capability and relatively large sample sizes may prefer this option.

A programmer can create and upload four data files following the specifications that can be downloaded one at a time from the Student Records Home page. Look under the heading Prepare Student Records Offline, and under Download, and you will see the words “View the file specs for ____.” Each button under that is for the specifications for one of the four files.

To upload the files, go to the heading Upload on the Student Records Home page and click on the button that matches the file you want to upload, such as Upload Student Info and Budget file. You will be routed to another screen where you can browse to find the file and then click Upload.

When a file is uploaded, it is checked for errors such as a value that is outside of the expected range. If any errors are detected, a list of them will be displayed onscreen. Please correct these errors and upload the file again.

Regardless of the way in which student records data are provided, you may review and edit the provided data onscreen in the system. This may be done in Case-Mode or Grid-Mode. If you need assistance, please contact the Help Desk. The toll-free phone number and email address can be found at the Contact Us page of the study website.

Step 3 is to Finalize and Submit Data

Now that you have entered or uploaded the Student Records data, we ask that you review and finalize the data, then submit it. On the Student Records Home page, under the heading “View and Submit Student Records,” click “View Summary Data.” [Click on the button.] You will be routed to the Student Records Summary page.

(Review and Edit)

On this page, each student has his/her own row and each section has its own column. You can locate the row for a student and the column of the section you would like to review. The link there will be labeled Empty, Partial, or Complete depending on how much data have been entered in the section for that student. This information can provide an overview of where you stand in terms of Student Records progress, and any cells with “Partial” or “Empty” can be easily seen so that you may supply the missing data. To view a list of quality concerns with the data, such as missing or out of range values, click Validate.

If you need to edit or key data, you may click on the Empty, Partial, or Complete links, and you will be routed to Case-Mode for that student and section. You can then enter or edit data as needed. If you prefer to edit data in Grid-Mode, return to the Student Records Home page, select Grid-Mode, and then select the student(s) and section you want to edit.

You may need to indicate that a student does not meet the eligibility criteria for NPSAS. The criteria can be found on the study website on the FAQs page under the heading Providing Student Records. [Go to the FAQs link at the top of the screen, then to the heading and scroll down the Qs. Then go back to the Student Records Summary page.] If you need to indicate that a student is ineligible, uncheck the box in the Student is Eligible column for that student to make the checkmark disappear. This action will alert us not to expect Student Records data for the student.

(Lock Cases)

After you have provided and validated a student’s data, you will need to lock the case by clicking “Lock” in the Action column of that student’s row (or clicking Lock All Cases if all are complete). Locking indicates that the data for that student are ready to be processed by project staff at RTI. You should only lock student data when you are sure that all information for a particular student has been entered.

(Retain a Copy of Your Data)

If you would like to retain a copy of the data you have provided for your records, you can download the data in four files. On the Student Records Home page, under the heading “Download Your Data in CSV Format” click the button for each file you want to download.

(Submit Data)

The final step for completing the NPSAS Student Records phase is to notify us that your data are complete and ready for processing. When you have completed entering and editing data for all of the students and all of the cases are locked, click the Submit (Process My Records) button on the Student Records Home page. The button will appear once all cases are locked. Clicking on the button will generate a thank you screen, and an e-mail that will be sent to your institution’s NPSAS coordinator confirming submission of the data.

Enabling Macros

This section of the tutorial is for users who are planning to use the Excel template and need instructions on how to enable macros.

When you open the Excel template file you downloaded, check to see if you receive a message that Macros are disabled. You must enable macros to take advantage of data validation and to convert the data into the format we need for processing. We’ll cover enabling macros in Excel 2007, Excel 2003, and Excel 2010.

Excel 2007

In Excel 2007, you can click the Options button that appears just after the alert message. [Show this alert message within Excel.]

Then, click “Enable this content.” [Show the pop-up where you can click this radio button.]

If you do not see an Options button after the alert message, then follow these instructions:

First, click the Microsoft Office Button in the upper left corner of your screen and click Excel Options at the bottom of the menu that appears.

Click Trust Center

Click Trust Center Settings

And then click Macro Settings.

There will be 4 options for Macro Settings:

• Disable all macros without notification

• Disable all macros with notification

• Disable all macros except digitally signed macros

• Enable all macros

Be sure to note which one is currently selected so that you can reset the option later. Then click “Enable all macros.”

As the final step, when you are done using the template file, you will need to go back and set the Macro Settings back where it was.

If you are using Excel 2003:

On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Security.

On the Trusted Publishers tab, select the “Trust all installed add-ins and templates” checkbox. If it was not already selected, please note this so that you can reset it later.

As the final step, when you are done using the template file, you will need to go back and set the “Trust all installed add-ins and templates” checkbox back to the way it was. This is only needed if you changed it.

If you are using Excel 2010:
	When you open a file that has macros, a yellow Message Bar appears with a shield icon and the Enable Content button. If you want to enable macros in the document you have open, click Enable Content.

If you would like assistance enabling macros, please contact the NPSAS Help Desk. The toll-free phone number and email address can be found at the Contact Us page of the study website.

NPSAS:12 Student Records Upload Specifications

All files should contain one row per student.

“Type” Key:

A= Upper and lowercase letters only

N = Numeric data only

C = Numeric, upper and lower case letters, and special characters accepted

1. Contact Information

Consists of names and addresses of any contacts you might have for the students including the students themselves.

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
1	8	N	NPSAS Identifier	8 digit study ID, provided by RTI in the student sample file
2	40	C	Student's permanent address field 1
3	40	C	Student's permanent address field 2
4	40	A	Student's permanent city of residence
5	2	A	Student's permanent state of residence	2 letter state postal code
6	9	C	Student's permanent zipcode
7	40	A	Student's permanent country of residence
8	40	C	Student's permanent email address
9	15	N	Student's permanent phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
10	20	N	Student's permanent international phone	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
11	1	N	Student's local address same as permanent?	0=No
				1=Yes
12	40	C	Student's local address field 1
13	40	C	Student's local address field 2
14	40	A	Student's local city of residence
15	2	A	Student's local state of residence	2 letter state postal code
16	9	C	Student's local zipcode
17	40	C	Student's campus email address
18	15	N	Student's local phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
19	15	N	Student's cell phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
20	2	N	Is the student a permanent resident of the institution state?	0=No
				1=Yes
21	25	C	Parent first name
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
22	50	C	Parent middle initial
23	25	C	Parent last name
24	10	C	Parent suffix	e.g., Jr., III
25	2	N	Parent address same as..	1=Student permanent address
				2=Student local address
				3=Other
26	40	C	Parent's address field 1
27	40	C	Parent's address field 2
28	40	A	Parent's city of residence
29	2	A	Parent's state of residence	2 letter state postal code
30	9	C	Parent's zipcode
31	40	A	Parent's country of residence
32	40	C	Parent's email address
33	15	N	Parent's phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
34	15	N	Parent's cell phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
35	20	N	Parent's international phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
36	25	C	Other contact's first name
37	50	C	Other contact's middle initial
38	25	C	Other contact's last name
39	10	C	Other contact's suffix	e.g., Jr., III
40	2	N	Relationship of Other Contact	9=Parent
				10=Guardian
				46=Sibling
				15=Aunt
				16=Uncle
				12=Grandparent
				38=Spouse
				18=Friend
				54=Colleague
				55=Other
41	40	C	Other contact's address field 1
42	40	C	Other contact's address field 2
43	40	A	Other contact's city of residence
44	2	A	Other contact's state of residence	2 letter state postal code
45	9	C	Other contact's zipcode
46	40	A	Other contact's country of residence
47	40	C	Other contact's email address
48	15	N	Other contact's phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
49	15	N	Other contact's cell phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
50	25	C	Additional contact's first name
51	50	C	Additional contact's middle initial
52	25	C	Additional contact's last name
53	10	C	Additional contact's suffix	e.g., Jr., III
54	15	N	Additional contact's phone number	No parentheses, dashes or spaces
55	2	N	Relationship of Additional Contact	9=Parent
				10=Guardian
				46=Sibling
				15=Aunt
				16=Uncle
				12=Grandparent
				38=Spouse
				18=Friend
				54=Colleague
				55=Other

2. Student Info and Budget

Consists of general student characteristics data such as name, birthdate, race, and gender, as well as data related to student financial aid budgets.

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
1	8	N	NPSAS identifier	8 digit study ID, provided by RTI in the student sample file
2	50	C	Student's first name
3	50	C	Student's middle initial
4	50	C	Student's last name
5	10	C	Suffix	e.g., Jr., III
6	9	N	Social security number	9 digit social security number; no hyphens
7	2	N	Birth month	2 digit number for the month of birth (MM)
8	4	N	Birth year	4 digit number for the year of birth (YYYY)
9	2	N	Gender	-1=Don't know
				1=Male
				2=Female
10	20	C	Driver's license number
11	2	A	Driver's license state	2 letter state postal code for the issuing state
12	2	N	Marital status	-1=Don't know
				1=Not Married (single, widowed, divorced)
				2=Married
				3=Separated
13	50	C	Maiden name	Answer only if the student is female AND either married or separated
14	50	C	Spouse's first name	Answer only if the student is married
15	50	C	Spouse's middle initial	Answer only if the student is married
16	50	C	Spouse's last name	Answer only if the student is married
17	2	N	High school degree	-1=Don't know
				1=High school diploma
				2=GED or other equivalency
				3=Certificate of high school completion
				4=Foreign high school
				5=No high school degree or certificate
18	4	N	High school degree year	4 digit number for the year of high school degree (YYYY)
19	2	N	Hispanic status/ethnicity	-1=Don't know
				0=Not Hispanic or Latino
				1=Hispanic or Latino
20	2	N	Race - White	1=Yes 0=No
21	2	N	Race - Black or African American	1=Yes 0=No
22	2	N	Race - Asian	1=Yes 0=No
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
23	2	N	Race - American Indian or Alaska Native	1=Yes 0=No
24	2	N	Race - Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander	1=Yes 0=No
25	2	N	Citizenship/Visa status	-1=Don't know
				1=US citizen or US national
				2=Resident alien
				3=Foreign/International student or non-resident alien
26	40	C	Student's Last Name from ISIR	Last name as it appears on the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) form (if available)
27	9	N	Student's social security number from ISIR	SSN as it appears on the ISIR form; No hyphens
28	2	N	Local Residence	1=On-campus or school-owned housing
				2=Off-campus without parents
				3=Off-campus with parents
29	5	N	Budget Amount for Tuition/Fees	Enter the TUITION and FEES amount for the budget period with no decimals, commas or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
30	5	N	Budget Amount for Books/Supplies	Enter the budgeted amount for BOOKS/SUPPLIES for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
31	5	N	Budget Amount for Room and Board	Enter budgeted ROOM and BOARD totals for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
32	5	N	Budget Amount for Health Insurance	Enter the budgeted amount for HEALTH INSURANCE for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
33	5	N	Budget Amount for Transportation	Enter any budgeted TRANSPORTATION amounts for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
34	5	N	Budget Amount for Computer Technology	Enter any COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY amounts for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
35	5	N	Budget Amount for All Other Expenses	Enter all OTHER costs included in the student’s budget for the period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
36	5	N	Total Cost of Attendance	Enter the TOTAL budget amount for the budget period with no decimals, commas or a dollar sign. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
37	2	N	Budget Period	1=Full-time, full-year
				2=Full-time, one term
				3=Part-time, full-year
				4=Part-time, one term

3. Enrollment

Consists of information regarding the sample student’s last enrollment status: type of degree program, class level, current major, enrollment status, tuition charged, placement tests, etc.

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
1	8	N	NPSAS Identifier	8 digit study ID, provided by RTI in the student sample file
2	2	N	Degree program	1=Enrolled in undergraduate courses, not in a degree program
				2=Undergraduate certificate or diploma (occupational or technical program)
				3=Associate’s degree
				4=Bachelor’s degree
				5=Enrolled in graduate courses, not in a degree program
				6=Post-baccalaureate certificate program (including teaching credential)
				7=Master’s degree program
				8=Post-master’s certificate
				9=Doctoral degree – research/scholarship
				10=Doctoral degree – professional practice
				11=Doctoral degree – other
				-1=Don't know
3	2	N	Associate's type	Only applicable if the student is enrolled in an Associate’s degree program
				1=AA, AS, general education or transfer program
				2=AAS, occupational or technical program
4	2	N	Master's type	Only applicable if the student is enrolled in an Master’s degree program
				1=Master of Science (MS)
				2=Master of Arts (MA)
				3=Master of Education (MEd) or Teaching (MAT)
				4=Master of Business Administration (MBA)
				5=Master of Public Administration (MPA)
				6=Master of Social Work (MSW)
				7=Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
				8=Master of Public Health (MPH)
				9=Master of Divinity (MDiv)
				10=Other master's degree program not listed

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
5	2	N	Doctoral type	Only applicable if the student is enrolled in an Doctoral or Professional program
				1=Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
				2=Doctor of Education (EdD)
				3=Doctor of Science or Engineering
				4=Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
				5=Doctor of Business or Public Administration (DBA, DPA)
				6=Doctor of Fine Arts (DFA)
				7=Doctor of Theology (ThD)
				8=Law (JD, LLB)
				9=Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine (MD, DO)
				10=Dentistry (DDS, DMD)
				11=Chiropractic (DC, DCM)
				12=Pharmacy (PharmD)
				13=Optometry (OD)
				14=Podiatry (DPM, DP, PodD)
				15=Veterinary medicine (DVM)
				16=Other doctoral degree not listed
6	2	N	Class level	1=1st Year/Freshman
				2=2nd Year/Sophomore
				3=3rd Year/Junior
				4=4th Year/Senior
				5=5th Year or Higher Undergraduate
				6=Undergraduate (unclassified)
				7=Student with advanced degree taking undergraduate courses
				8=1st year Graduate
				9=2nd year Graduate
				10=3rd year Graduate
				11=Beyond 3rd year Graduate
7	1	N	Expected to complete degree requirements by 06/30/2011?	Refers to degree indicated in field #2
				0=No
				1=Yes
8	5	C	Cumulative (unweighted) GPA
9	1	N	Received baccalaureate degree?	Only applicable for graduate students
				0=No
				1=Yes
10	2	N	Baccalaureate date - month	Only applicable for graduate students; 2 digit number for the month when baccalaureate degree was received (MM)
11	4	N	Baccalaureate date - year	Only applicable for graduate students; 4 digit number for the year when baccalaureate degree was received (YYYY)
12	7	N	CIP code	6-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code for the student's major. Do NOT include any decimals.
13	30	A	Current major
14	1	N	Major undeclared	0=No
				1=Yes
15	2	N	First enrolled at this institution - month	2 digit number for the month when student first enrolled at this institution (MM)
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
16	4	N	First enrolled at this institution - year	2 digit number for the year when student first enrolled at this institution (YYYY)
17	1	N	First-time beginning student?	A first-time beginning student is defined for this study as an undergraduate student who enrolled in college for the first time at this institution between July 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011, and has not completed a postsecondary class at this or any other postsecondary institions prior to July 1, 2010; and, with the exception of advanced placement (AP) or international baccalaureate (IB) credits and any other postsecondary credit earned prior to high school completion, did not transfer credits into this institution.
				0=No
				1=Yes
18	2	N	Transferred credits from another institution?	0=No
				1=Yes
19	5	N	Total clock hours in program	Only applicable for clock hour programs; Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
20	3	N	Clock hours per week required	Only applicable for clock hour programs; Include lab and classroom hours required per week; Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
21	7	N	Total tuition and mandatory fees charged for all terms	No decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to nearest whole number.
22	2	N	Residency for tuition purposes	1=In State
				2=Out of State
23	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 1 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
24	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 2 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
25	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 3 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
26	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 4 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
27	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 5 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
28	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 6 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
29	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 7 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
30	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 8 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
31	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 9 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
32	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 10 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
33	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 11 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
34	2	N	Enrollment status [Term Name 12 (Start Date - End Date)]	1=Full-Time
				2=Half-Time
				3=Less than Half-time
				4=Status Unknown
35	2	N	Placement test 1	[Customized response codes]
36	2	N	Placement test 1 date - month	2 digit number for the month when placement test was taken (MM)
37	4	N	Placement test 1 date - year	4 digit number for the year when placement test was taken (YYYY)
38	12	C	Placement test 1 score
39	2	N	Placement test 2	[Customized response codes]
40	2	N	Placement test 2 date - month	2 digit number for the month when placement test was taken (MM)
41	4	N	Placement test 2 date - year	4 digit number for the year when placement test was taken (YYYY)
42	12	C	Placement test 2 score
43	2	N	Placement test 3	[Customized response codes]
44	2	N	Placement test 3 date - month	2 digit number for the month when placement test was taken (MM)
45	4	N	Placement test 3 date - year	4 digit number for the year when placement test was taken (YYYY)
46	12	C	Placement test 3 score
47	2	N	Placement test 4	[Customized response codes]
48	2	N	Placement test 4 date - month	2 digit number for the month when placement test was taken (MM)
49	4	N	Placement test 4 date - year	4 digit number for the year when placement test was taken (YYYY)
50	12	C	Placement test 4 score
51	2	N	Placement test 5 name	[Customized response codes]
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
52	2	N	Placement test 5 date - month	2 digit number for the month when placement test was taken (MM)
53	4	N	Placement test 5 date - year	4 digit number for the year when placement test was taken (YYYY)
54	12	C	Placement test 5 score

4. Aid Awarded

Consists of financial aid data including federal loans and grants, veterans benefits, research assistantships, institution based financial aid, graduate aid, and state based financial aid.

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
1	8	N	NPSAS Identifier	8 digit study ID, provided by RTI in the student sample file
2	4	N	Pell Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
3	6	N	Academic Competitiveness Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
4	6	N	SMART Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
5	6	N	Subsidized Stafford Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
6	6	N	Unsubsidized Stafford Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
7	6	N	Parent PLUS Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
8	6	N	Graduate PLUS Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
9	6	N	Federal TEACH Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
10	6	N	Perkins Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
11	6	N	Federal SEOG Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
12	6	N	Federal Work-Study	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
13	6	N	Veteran Benefits	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
14	6	N	Robert Byrd Honors Scholarship	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
15	6	N	Federal Health Professions Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
16	6	N	Federal Health Professions Disadvantaged Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
17	6	N	[State aid program 1]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
18	6	N	[State aid program 2]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
19	6	N	[State aid program 3]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
20	6	N	[State aid program 4]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
21	6	N	[State aid program 5]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
22	6	N	[State aid program 6]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
23	6	N	[State aid program 7]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
24	6	N	[State aid program 8]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
25	6	N	[State aid program 9]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
26	6	N	[State aid program 10]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
27	6	N	[State aid program 11]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
28	6	N	[State aid program 12]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
29	6	N	[Institution aid program 1]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
30	6	N	[Institution aid program 2]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
31	6	N	[Institution aid program 3]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
32	6	N	[Institution aid program 4]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
33	6	N	[Institution aid program 5]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
34	6	N	[Institution aid program 6]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
35	6	N	[Institution aid program 7]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
36	6	N	[Institution aid program 8]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
37	6	N	[Institution aid program 9]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
38	6	N	[Institution aid program 10]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
39	6	N	[Institution aid program 11]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
40	6	N	[Institution aid program 12]	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
41	6	N	Graduate Fellowship/Scholarship	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
42	6	N	Graduate Federal Fellowship	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
43	6	N	Graduate Federal Traineeship	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
44	6	N	Graduate Teaching Assistantships/Stipend	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
45	6	N	Graduate Research Assistantships/Stipend	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
46	6	N	Other Graduate Assistants/Tutors	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
47	6	N	Tuition Waivers for Graduate Students	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
48	6	N	Graduate Tuition Waivers for Staff/Family	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
49	6	N	Graduate Institutional Work-Study	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
50	6	N	Graduate Institutional Loan	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
51	6	N	Scholarships/Grants from Private Organizations	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
52	6	N	Employer Paid Tuition	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
53	6	N	ROTC and Grants for Armed Forces	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
54	6	N	WIA or Other Job Training	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
55	6	N	Bureau of Indian Affairs Grants	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
56	6	N	Grants from State Agency in Other State	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
57	6	N	Private Loans	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
58	6	N	DC Tuition Assistance Grant	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
59	50	C	Other Aid 1 Name
60	2	N	Other Aid 1 Type	1=Grant/scholarship, need-based
				2=Grant/scholarship, merit-based
				3=Grant/scholarship, both need and merit
				4=Tuition waiver
				5=Loan
				6=Work-study or assistantship
				7=Other
61	2	N	Other Aid 1 Source	1=Institution
				2=State
				3=Federal
				4=Other
62	8	N	Other Aid 1 Amount	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
63	50	C	Other Aid 2 Name
64	2	N	Other Aid 2 Type	1=Grant/scholarship, need-based
				2=Grant/scholarship, merit-based
				3=Grant/scholarship, both need and merit
				4=Tuition waiver
				5=Loan
				6=Work-study or assistantship
				7=Other
65	2	N	Other Aid 2 Source	1=Institution
				2=State
				3=Federal
				4=Other
Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
66	8	N	Other Aid 2 Amount	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
67	50	C	Other Aid 3 Name
68	2	N	Other Aid 3 Type	1=Grant/scholarship, need-based
				2=Grant/scholarship, merit-based
				3=Grant/scholarship, both need and merit
				4=Tuition waiver
				5=Loan
				6=Work-study or assistantship
				7=Other
69	2	N	Other Aid 3 Source	1=Institution
				2=State
				3=Federal
				4=Other
70	8	N	Other Aid 3 Amount	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
71	50	C	Other Aid 4 Name
72	2	N	Other Aid 4 Type	1=Grant/scholarship, need-based
				2=Grant/scholarship, merit-based
				3=Grant/scholarship, both need and merit
				4=Tuition waiver
				5=Loan
				6=Work-study or assistantship
				7=Other
73	2	N	Other Aid 4 Source	1=Institution
				2=State
				3=Federal
				4=Other
74	8	N	Other Aid 4 Amount	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.
75	50	C	Other Aid 5 Name
76	2	N	Other Aid 5 Type	1=Grant/scholarship, need-based
				2=Grant/scholarship, merit-based
				3=Grant/scholarship, both need and merit
				4=Tuition waiver
				5=Loan
				6=Work-study or assistantship
				7=Other

Field	Max	Type	Field Description	Notes/Response Codes
#	Length
77	2	N	Other Aid 5 Source	1=Institution
				2=State
				3=Federal
				4=Other
78	8	N	Other Aid 5 Amount	Enter amount awarded with no decimals, commas, or dollar signs. Round values with decimals to the nearest whole number.

NPSAS:12 Supporting Statement Request for OMB Review K-1