The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), along with its partners the College Futures Foundation and Mathematica, has reinstated the triennial Student Expenses and Resources Survey (SEARS) in 2018-19, that sampled 150,000 California college students from all segments of higher education about their experiences and perceptions of college affordability. The survey results revealed meaningful differences in expenses for college costs when broken down by race/ethnicity, age, and region, as well as valuable insights about students’ perceptions of their ability to pay for expenses beyond tuition, such as textbooks, housing and utilities, food, transportation and other essential costs. Survey findings related to the greatest obstacles to success – the costs of college and balancing school and work – provide eye-opening insight into what students need. CSAC shares this data to inform discussions regarding student success and student financial need.
2018–19 Student Expenses and Resources Survey: Initial Insights An Initial Look at the Obstacles Students Face Affording Higher Education
Source: California Student Aid Commission