For some students, plans to attend college take shape during high school. But according to researchers, high school can be too late to start planning -- financially and academically. A new study released by the Urban Institute today, available on its website at 10 a.m., identifies new ways to help make middle schoolers and their families aware of their financial aid options, letting them know that college can be a reality for those who might think they can't afford it. Looking at programs such as free- and reduced-price lunch programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid, in which many of the participants would be eligible for Pell Grants, the authors found the best way to spread information on financial aid isn't to rely on one solution, but instead requires a multifaceted approach to engage as many potential applicants as possible.

July 16, 2015 ・ From Inside Higher Ed