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Article Type

Professional Proficiency

Article Abstract

Related Issue:

This study analyzes the length and readability of admissions and financial aid application instructions at a random sample of 341 four-year higher education institutions in the United States. Linguistic analyses indicate that financial aid application instructions are longer and more difficult to read than are admissions materials at the same institution. Paired t-tests indicate that the length (p=0.05) and readability level (p=0.000) of financial aid application instructions compared to those of admissions materials are statistically significant. Implications for research and practice are addressed.

Author(s)

hartman--lg

Catherine Hartman holds a Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include community college student success and student transfer.

taylor--lg

Z.W. (Zach) Taylor is a Ph.D. candidate at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include linguistics in higher education, particularly pre-college information targeting first-generation college students and English-language learners. His work has been published by the Community College Journal of Research and Practice, Journal of College Student Development, and Higher Education Quarterly, among others.

References

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