Even Top Students May Drop Out After Losing Aid

Students are more likely to drop out of college if they lose even small amounts of financial aid -- regardless of their grade point average -- according to a study from the Education Advisory Board, a research and consulting firm based in Washington.

The study also found that the more financial aid a student loses, the more likely they are to drop out. On the other hand, students who receive more financial aid are more likely to persist in completing a degree, according to the study.

Ed Venit, senior director at EAB, said the research shows "monitoring changes in financial aid is another tool schools can use to determine where they should focus limited resources to improve student success."