The Academic Impact of Financial Stress on College Students

Staying in school and graduating on time is an important factor for students and their families. Greater financial burdens may lead students to reduce coursework or drop out of school for paid work. A Web-based survey ( N = 503) was conducted in fall 2004 at a large public university to examine the characteristics of students who experienced dropping out or reducing credit hours due to financial reasons. Analyses were conducted to compare these students with those who did not drop out or reduce their coursework. Findings show the relationship between financial stress and academic performance.