The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions: Results From the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment

• The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions: Results From the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment—This study examined whether assistance in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) increases the likelihood of filing the FAFSA, college enrollment, and financial aid receipt. The authors analyzed data on about 17,000 individuals in 156 H&R Block tax preparation offices in Ohio and North Carolina. It compares the outcomes of three research groups created through random assignment: a FAFSA treatment group; an information-only treatment group which received portions but not all of the FAFSA treatment; and a no-treatment control group. Each comparison was conducted for independent adults, both those with no previous college experience and those with some previous college experience, and dependent students – those who were high school seniors or recent high school graduates and financially dependent on their parents.

The study finds that independent adults who received assistance with the FAFSA and information about financial aid were significantly more likely to submit the aid application than students in the control group, and significantly more likely to enroll in college. The WWC rating of the analysis of independent adults meets WWC evidence standards. The WWC rating of the analysis of dependent students, FAFSA versus control comparison, meets WWC evidence standards with reservations. The WWC rating of the analysis of dependent students, information-only versus control comparison, does not meet WWC evidence standards.

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