Readability and Access to Student Financial Aid: Evaluating Community College Financial Aid Application Information

Although United States (U.S.) community college enrollment rose in 2023, the sector has contracted by 37% since 2010, representing millions of students. As a result, community college practitioners should ensure that individuals understand financial aid information to apply for aid and access community colleges. Here, this study gathered federal financial aid application instructions from 949 U.S. community colleges to evaluate grade-level readability of these instructions. Results suggest the average readability level of community college financial aid information is above the 14th grade level, with negligible differences between institutional sectors. Implications for practice and community college student access are addressed.