Middle income financial aid recipients' perception of relative deprivation in the distribution of financial aid

As the cost, or rather the price, of higher education has continued to increase, special programs have been implemented at various post-secondary institutions to increase access and affordability for low-income students. These programs have increased socioeconomic diversity and made it possible for academically qualified students, regardless of their family's financial strength, to participate in higher education. What is unknown, however, is the effect, if any, of these programs on middle-income financial aid recipients, those whose family income falls between ;This study was guided by three questions: (1) how do middle-income financial aid recipients perceive the financial aid structure at Selective Collegiate University (SCU)? (2) Based on their perception of the financial aid structure at SCU, do middle-income financial aid recipients feel deprived in comparison to low-income financial aid recipients? (3) If middle-income financial aid recipients at SCU perceive deprivation relative to their low-income peers receiving special access funding, could the experience cause a change in their attitude toward various aspects of higher education?;A mixed methods study consisting of a survey of second-, third-, and fourth-year Selective Collegiate University financial aid recipients and individual interviews of a sub-set of the survey population was used to examine the effects, if any, of AttendSCU on middle-income financial aid recipients. Using the theoretical framework of relative deprivation, SCU middle-income financial aid recipients' lived experiences with financial aid were examined and compared to those of low-income financial aid recipients to determine if there was a critical difference in the experiences of the two groups and what, if any, effect that difference might have.;The results of this study suggest that some middle-income financial aid recipients do experience deprivation relative to their low-income counterparts. And although the results of this study are local and thus not generalizable, they do suggest that some changes might be needed in both financial aid and in higher education writ large in order to facilitate a more equitable experience for both groups of students.