Under the current financial aid system in the United States, most students do not find out the amount of financial aid for which they qualify until after they have applied to college and been admitted. There is evidence that for low-income students, this is too late in the college access and choice process. This article explores the feasibility and challenges of making commitments of financial aid to students earlier in their educational careers (such as during the middle school or early high school years) to encourage them to focus on the academic and social aspects of preparing for college entry.
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