Teran, Christopher. 2007. <em>Financial Barriers to Higher Education.</em> Department of Student Aid at Texas A&M University. Accessed on July 26, 2007, from http://www.tgslc.org/pdf/StudiesonBarriers.pdf.<br />
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Relying on a sample of 14,400 telephone interviews of Texas residents who are 25 years old or older, Teran identifies and measures barriers to higher education. He divides his study into five sections: academic, social, attitudinal, familial, and financial barriers. He devotes the most attention to financial barriers, citing those as the biggest obstacle to getting students to college. He finds that finances are a more prominent factor in deciding to go to college for first-generation students than non-first-generation students. In addition, respondents who have financial aid knowledge in high school or fill out a FAFSA are more likely to attend college than those who do not. Teran also notes differences among first-generation and non-first-generation immigrant groups in awareness of federal student financial aid programs and whether they actually fill out a FAFSA. But increased knowledge of financial aid does not directly correlate with higher rates of FAFSA completion. The author concludes that in order to change the status quo and remove the barriers to college attendance for current and future students, the following changes should occur: students should take responsibility for their college plans, parents should encourage their children to attend college, high schools counselors should expose students to college information, colleges should educate high school students and their families about the value and affordability of a college education, and community organizations should strengthen the relationship between schools and families in order to encourage students to attend college.