Understanding Loan Aversion in Education: Evidence from High School Seniors, Community College Students, and Adults

SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://sagepub.com

Y

16

Student Loan Programs; Student Financial Aid; Resistance (Psychology); High School Seniors; Community Colleges; Two Year College Students; Incidence; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; Hispanic American Students; White Students; College Bound Students; Comparative Analysis; Adults; Debt (Financial); Cultural Differences; Decision Making; Paying for College; Economic Factors; African American Students; Asian American Students; Tuition

Texas; Kentucky; Tennessee; Massachusetts

2332-8584

Although prior research has suggested that some students may be averse to taking out loans to finance their college education, there is little empirical evidence showing the extent to which loan aversion exists or how it affects different populations of students. This study provides the first large-scale quantitative evidence of levels of loan aversion in the United States. Using survey data collected on more than 6,000 individuals, we examine the frequency of loan aversion in three distinct populations. Depending on the measure, between 20 and 40% of high school seniors exhibit loan aversion with lower rates among community college students and adults not in college. Women are less likely to express loan-averse attitudes than men, and Hispanic respondents are more likely to be loan averse than White respondents.

As Provided

49

2018

EJ1194174