Financial Aid Type and Student Need Level as Predictors of Undergraduate Persistence at the University of Denver (Paperback)

This dissertation examines the capacity of financial aid type and student need level to predict undergraduate student persistence at the University of Denver. Studies that have measured the influence of financial aid on persistence have had varying results. This may be a function of the institution under investigation, the population investigated, or the combination of the various types of aid. Focusing on one institution, the University of Denver, provides administrators with specific information about the practice of leveraging aid dollars to promote undergraduate student persistence. This study used a quantitative research design. Measures of central tendency were conducted to determine the characteristics of the student population. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine if undergraduate student persistence could be predicted based on what type of financial aid a student receives and what level of need the student had upon entering the University. Findings indicate that type of financial aid does not predict persistence at year one or year four. Student need level only marginally predicts persistence at year one and when type of aid and need level are considered together only work-study is a predictor of persistence for year one. Models for year two, three, and graduation did not produce a goodness of fit for the logistic regression models, therefore the findings remain inconclusive. The outcome of this investigation provides the University of Denver administration with data for basing their decisions about the use of financial aid to address student financial need in order to promote persistence.