Technical Notes

The Survey on Financial Aid at Postsecondary Education Institutions was conducted in winter 1994-95 by the National Center for Education Statistics using the PostSecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS). PEQIS is designed to collect limited amounts of policy-relevant information quickly from a previously recruited nationally representative stratified sample of 1,576 postsecondary institutions, plus a supplementary sample of less-than-2-year postsecondary institutions when needed. PEQIS surveys are generally limited to 2 to 3 pages of questions with a response burden of 30 minutes per respondent. The survey was mailed to the PEQIS survey coordinators at 686 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions in the PEQIS panel, and to the Financial Aid Director at 400 less-than-2-year postsecondary institutions from a supplementary sample, for a total sample size of 1,086 institutions. Completed questionnaires were received from 808 of the 855 eligible institutions, ² for an unweighed survey response rate of 94 percent (the weighted survey response rate is 92 percent). All estimates for the 1992-93 and 1993-94 academic years are based on data reported by the institution in winter 1994-95. The response data were weighted to produce national estimates, ³ The weights were designed to adjust for the variable probabilities of selection and differential nonresponse. The findings in this report are estimates based on the sample selected and, consequently, are subject to sampling variability. The standard error is a measure of the variability of estimates due to sampling. It indicates the variability of a sample estimate that would be obtained from all possible samples of a given design and size. Standard errors are used as a measure of the precision expected from a particular sample. If all possible samples were surveyed under similar conditions, intervals of 1.96 standard errors below to 1.96 standard errors above a particular statistic would include the true population parameter being estimated in about 95 percent of the samples. This is a 95 percent confidence interval. For example, the estimated percentage of institutions that reviewed Pell grant applications for all students is 23 percent, and the estimated standard error is 2.3 percent. The 95 percent confidence interval for the statistic extends from [23 - (2.3 times 1.96)] to [23 + (2.3 times 1.96)], or from 18.5 t o 27.5 percent. Estimates of standard errors for this report were computed using a jackknife replication method. Standard errors for all of the estimates are presented in the tables, including table 11, which provides standard errors for the estimates in the figures and text. All specific statements of comparison made in this report have been tested for statistical significance through chi-square tests and t-tests adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni adjustment, and they are significant at the 95 percent confidence level or better. The chi-square tests used a modified Rae-Scott chi-square statistic, using design effects calculated by jackknife replication.

The survey estimates are also subject to nonsarnpling errors that can arise because of nonobservation (nonresponse or noncoverage) errors, errors of reporting, and errors made in collection or processing of data. These errors can sometimes bias the data. While general sampling theory can be used in part to determine how to estimate the sampling variability of a statistic, nonsampling errors are not easy to measure. To minimize the potential for nonsampling errors, the questionnaire was pretested with respondents at institutions like those that completed the survey. During the design of the survey and the survey pretest, an effort was made to check for consistency of interpretation of questions and to eliminate ambiguous items. The questionnaire and instructions were extensively reviewed by the National Center for Education Statistics. Manual and machine editing of the questionnaire responses were conducted to check the data for accuracy and consistency. Cases with missing or inconsistent items were recontacted by telephone. Data were keyed with 100 percent verification.

² Some 231 institutions out of the 1086 institutions in the sample were found to be out of the scope of the survey. Of these institutions, 191 were ineligible because they did not award federal financial aid, and 40 were ineligible because they were closed or were not postsecondary institutions.

³ Technically, a skill competency is a concept, skill, or attitude that is essential to an occupation; the level of attainment or performance established for a skill competency is a skill standard. Among school personnel, however, these terms are often used interchangeably.

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