Predictors of Financial Responsibility Composite Scores at Catholic Colleges and Universities
[Thesis]
Agostinelli, Sara Nicole
O'Reilly, Frances L
University of Montana
2020
114
Ed.D.
University of Montana
2020
The purpose of this quantitative study was to understand the relationships of the demographic variables of religious order, program length, and geographic region interact with the score a Catholic institution receives on the U.S. Education Department test for financial responsibility using descriptive statistics. The research study showed a statistically significant negative correlation between the institution's composite score on the financial responsibility test and student loan default rates using the Pearson correlation coefficient, with a small effect size. The research study also showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the institution's composite score on the financial responsibility test and enrollment using the Pearson correlation coefficient, with a small effect size. Data were collected from Federal Student Aid Department within the U.S. Education Department, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Educational Statistics, and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. Implications of this study allow for higher education leaders to further understand the economic factor of an institution's financial responsibility composite score as a potential influencer for students and their families in their college selection process as understood by Student Choice Theory in an increasingly competitive admissions market.