Low ACT scores and confusion about financial aid led a hardworking, college-aspiring student to decide not to attend college at all¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · qualitative r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2008 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Maribel, who earned qualifications for a somewhat selective college, felt her ACT score made her ineligible for college and did not realize colleges might overlook a low score given high grades. → Melissa Roderick 2008 q2 i? Wariness about college costs, with no knowledge of financial aid options, sealed Maribel's decision to delay or forgo college. → Melissa Roderick 2008 (2)

Evidence¶

Melissa Roderick 2008¶

Melissa Roderick, Jenny Nagaoka, Vanessa Coca, Eliza Moeller, with Karen Roddie, Jamiliyah Gilliam, and Desmond Patton. (2008). From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College (Case Studies). Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/high-school-future-potholes-road-college

q2 · i? · qualitative · r2

Qualitative case study of Maribel, who scored 15 on the ACT after prepping, raised her weighted GPA from 2.96 to 3.18, yet announced she would wait a year to work and save money for college.

"She felt that her ACT scores made her ineligible for college, and she didn't realize that, given her high grades, colleges might overlook her low ACT score."

Melissa Roderick 2008 (2)¶

Melissa Roderick, Jenny Nagaoka, Vanessa Coca, Eliza Moeller, with Karen Roddie, Jamiliyah Gilliam, and Desmond Patton. (2008). From High School to the Future: Potholes on the Road to College (Case Studies). Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/high-school-future-potholes-road-college

q2 · i? · qualitative · r2

The case study reports it was "her wariness about the cost of college that sealed her decision"; teachers' advice to wait and her parents' statement about lacking money reinforced the choice. She planned to eventually enroll at Wright College and transfer.

"She never talked to anyone about financial aid options, and she couldn't answer any questions about applying for aid or filling out a FAFSA."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Students with strong qualifications took themselves out of four-year college planning, choosing early two-year enrollment as a low-risk solution when searches felt overwhelming and costly — related
• Even students with stellar qualifications and strong plans can fail to enroll after career uncertainty, incomplete financial aid paperwork, and no extended adult conversation about college combine to make choice feel too risky — related
• Becoming too focused on a single college option left a highly qualified student with no fallback when that option fell through, and she did not enroll in college — related