Why Community College Students are so Poor, but Only 16.9% Received Federal Pell Grants

Abstract

Community colleges have maintained a mission and commitment to open access. Likewise, Federal Pell Grants have historically served as a primary means for low income populations to afford higher education. Thus, community college students and Federal Pell Grants are important parts of the American higher education landscape and a mode of social and individual transformation (Baime & Mullin, 2011). In 2006, Romano and Millard asked the question, “If community college students are so poor, why do only 16.9% of them receive Pell Grants?” The authors put forth the question to financial aid professionals and based on their responses posited seven possible answers. The purpose of this paper is to expand on some of the previous answers and provide the following additional explanations: (a) lack of information; (b) verification; (c) financial aid office's workload; and (d) student employment. Romano and Millard (2006) concluded Federal Pell Grant rate cannot be used to determine low income at community colleges. When considering this new information, a zero expected family contribution (EFC) is suggested to be used when awarding institutional and state need-based aid, which would ensure funding to the lowest income students. When a zero EFC is used to define low income, data shows there are more low income community college students than their four-year counterparts. This does not negate the fact that many of the aforementioned issues are salient and important for community college students, but depending on how low income is defined determines a critical aspect of why community college students are so poor.