Summary

Description

The 1999-2000 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:2000) is a study that is part of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) program; program data is available since 1989-90 at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=013. NPSAS:2000 (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/about.asp) is a cross-sectional survey that is designed to compile a comprehensive research dataset, based on student-level records, on financial aid provided by the federal government, the states, postsecondary institutions, employers, and private agencies along with student demographic and enrollment data. The study was conducted using multiple sources, including institutional records, government databases, and student interviews. NPSAS:2000 was the first to employ a web-based instrument for collection of institutional records. NPSAS:2000 contains the data on a sample of about 70,200 postsecondary students who were enrolled at any time between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000 in about 1,100 postsecondary institutions. The data are representative of all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in postsecondary institutions in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico that were eligible to participate in the federal financial aid programs in Title IV of the Higher Education Act. After adjusting for institutional nonresponse and for attendance at more than one institution, the overall weighted study response rate was 89 percent. Statistics produced from the NPSAS:2000 provide reliable national estimates of characteristics related to financial aid for postsecondary students.