Letters

Attachments VI - CSFA 2017 Focus Groups.pdf

NCES Cognitive, Pilot, and Field Test Studies System

Letters

OMB: 1850-0803

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

Attachments VI
Intervention Informational Letters

NCER- NPSAS Grant Study – Connecting Students
with Financial Aid (CSFA) 2017 Focus Groups

OMB# 1850-0803 v.184

December 2016

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter A - Framing NEUTRAL

page 1

Dear <>,
According to our records, as of <>, you have not yet applied for financial aid for next year.
Completing the FAFSA is the first step to getting financial aid, and it is available now as you consider your
plans for 2017-18.
We notice that you also did not complete the FAFSA last year and so you may not have received financial aid.
Here is information that might help you with the process this year.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, meaning that it costs you nothing to
complete, and the sooner you submit the FAFSA, the more aid you could receive.
Some students think they shouldn’t bother to complete the FAFSA. Don’t let these worries stop you!
These statements
are not true.
The reality is
EVERYONE
should complete
the FAFSA to
learn about the
aid they could
receive.

The FAFSA asks about you and your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances, the
FAFSA may also ask about your parent(s) and their financial information. You may find it helpful to
have the following information or documents available:



Social Security Number
2015 Tax Return and W-2 Forms



Information on bank account balances and
investments (not including your home)

During the process, you will create a FSA ID username and password that will allow you to save your
information securely and complete the form at your own pace. You will also need your FSA ID to get
information on all the government financial aid available to you.
There are a number of FREE resources available to help you understand how to complete the FAFSA
and your financial aid. We’ve included the guide developed by the U.S. Department of Education, but
you could also visit these websites:




https://fafsa.ed.gov
https://studentaid.ed.gov
https://fsaid.ed.gov

Or scan this code into your
mobile device to link to
studentaid.ed.gov directly.

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter A - Framing NEUTRAL

page 2

have any questions, visit one of the websites listed above or call the Federal Student Aid Information
Center at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
Sincerely,
<>

You are being contacted because you agreed to participate in an external research project when you responded to the 2015-16 National
Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:16). For more information go to: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/grant/.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS)
and its follow up studies, including the Connecting Students with Financial Aid (CSFA) 2017 study, by the Education Sciences Reform
Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C., § 9543), and to collect as part of these studies, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3) and 99.35), students’ education records from educational agencies or institutions in connection
with an evaluation of federally supported education programs. Data collected from or about individual students are used only for
statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form, for any other purpose except as required by law (ESRA 2002,
20 U.S.C., § 9573). These data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization based in North
Carolina.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-NEW. The time required
to complete this information collection is estimated to average approximately 15 minutes per response, including the time to review
instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the
accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this survey, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of your
individual submission of this survey, please write directly to: The Connecting Students with Financial Aid (CSFA) Study, National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Potomac Center Plaza, 550 12th St., SW, PCP-4007, Washington, DC 20202

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter B - Framing POSITIVE

page 1

Dear <>,
According to our records, as of <>, you have not yet applied for financial aid for
next year. Eligible students can get a Federal Pell Grant up to $5,920, which does not need to be
repaid. That’s thousands of dollars to help you pay for college!
Completing the FAFSA also means it is possible for you to get other kinds of aid, which could help
make attending college more affordable. Completing the FAFSA is the first step in getting financial
aid, and the form is available now as you consider your plans for 2017-18.
We notice that you also did not complete the FAFSA last year and so you may not have received
financial aid. Here is information that might help you with the process this year.
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, meaning that it costs you nothing to
complete, and the sooner you submit the FAFSA, the more aid you could receive.
Some students think they shouldn’t bother to complete the FAFSA. Don’t let these worries stop you!
These statements
are not true.
The reality is
EVERYONE
should complete
the FAFSA to
learn about the
aid they could
receive.

Social Security Number
2015 Tax Return and W-2 Forms



Information on bank account balances and
investments (not including your home)

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter B - Framing POSITIVE





https://fafsa.ed.gov
https://studentaid.ed.gov
https://fsaid.ed.gov

page 2

Or scan this code into your
mobile device to link to
studentaid.ed.gov directly.

Remember, the FAFSA is FREE. If a company asks you to pay to fill it out, then you’re not working
with the official FAFSA—your link to get financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. If you
have any questions, visit one of the websites listed above or call the Federal Student Aid Information
Center at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
There is financial aid waiting for you! Fill out the form and get help paying for college.
Sincerely,
<>

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter C - Framing NEGATIVE

page 1

Dear <>,

According to our records, as of <>, you have not yet applied for financial aid for
next year. As a result, you could lose your chance to get a Pell Grant worth up to $5,920 from the
federal government.
Not completing the form also means that you will lose the ability to get other kinds of financial aid
from the government and your school. Completing the FAFSA is the first step to getting financial aid,
and it is available now as you consider your plans for 2017-18.
We notice that you completed the FAFSA last year. You still need to apply for student aid every year.
Make sure you continue to receive financial aid to help you pay for college. The FAFSA is the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid, meaning that it costs you nothing to complete, and the sooner you
submit the FAFSA, the more aid you could receive.
Some students think they shouldn’t bother to complete the FAFSA. Don’t let these worries stop you!
These
statements are
not true.
The reality is
EVERYONE
should
complete the
FAFSA to
learn about the
aid they could
receive.

Social Security Number
2015 Tax Return and W-2 Forms



Information on bank account balances and
investments (not including your home)

Because you completed the FAFSA last year, you have the option to fill out the Renewal FAFSA.
Using your FSA ID username and password, some of the questions will be pre-filled, saving you time
and hassle. If your circumstances have changed significantly, you might decide to complete a new
FAFSA instead.
There are a number of FREE resources available to help you understand how to complete the FAFSA
and your financial aid. We’ve included the guide developed by the U.S. Department of Education, but
you could also visit these websites:

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter C - Framing NEGATIVE





https://fafsa.ed.gov
https://studentaid.ed.gov
https://fsaid.ed.gov

page 2

Or scan this code into your
mobile device to link to
studentaid.ed.gov directly.

Remember, the FAFSA is FREE. If a company asks you to pay to fill it out, then you’re not working
with the official FAFSA—your link to get financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. If you
have any questions, visit one of the websites listed above or call the Federal Student Aid Information
Center at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
Thousands of dollars are at stake! Don’t miss your chance to get help paying for college.
Sincerely,
<>

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter D - Framing NEUTRAL + CREDIT INFORMATION

page 1

Dear <>,
Completing the FAFSA is the first step towards getting financial aid, and it is available now as you consider
your plans for 2017-18.
We notice that you also did not complete the FAFSA last year and so you may not have received financial aid.
Here is information that might help you with the process this year.

Also, did you know the more credits you take, the more financial aid you could receive?
Credits Taken per Term

Maximum Pell Grant

Up to $2,910

Up to $4,440

Up to $5,920

As you can see, financial aid could completely cover the cost of taking an additional class or two,
meaning you would not need to pay any more money out-of-pocket. The difference of a couple of
courses could mean thousands of dollars of financial aid. Those additional courses could help you
complete your degree sooner.
The FAFSA asks about you and your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances, the
FAFSA may also ask about your parent(s) and their financial information. You may find it helpful to
have the following information or documents available:



Social Security Number
2015 Tax Return and W-2 Forms



Information on bank account balances and
investments (not including your home)

CSFA 2017 Study: Intervention Letter D - Framing NEUTRAL + CREDIT INFORMATION

page 2

https://fafsa.ed.gov
https://studentaid.ed.gov
https://fsaid.ed.gov

Or scan this code into your
mobile device to link to
studentaid.ed.gov directly.

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Microsoft Word - Intervention Letter A - Framing NEUTRAL.docx
Author	btl434
File Modified	2016-12-07
File Created	2016-12-04