{"id":{"repo_id":"uiuc","oai_identifier":"oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125582"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uiuc/oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125582","repository":{"repo_id":"uiuc","name":"University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign","base_url":"https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh"},"display":{"title":"Influences of differential tuition and a means-tested no-loan program on college major choice","abstract":"Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-02-04 without embargo terms","abstract_html":"Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-02-04 without embargo terms","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Green, Kerri Ann"],"institution":"University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign","degree_name":"Ed.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Baber, Lorenzo","Delaney, Jennifer","Ward Hood, Denice","Nelson, Jennifer","Ruedas-Gracia, Nidia"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-07-09","date_published":"2024-07-09","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:02Z","subjects":["Higher Education","College Affordability","Tuition Pricing","Differential Tuition","Free College","No-loan Program","Illinois Commitment","Major Choice"],"languages":["en","eng"],"rights":["Copyright 2024 Kerri Green"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125582","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Baber, Lorenzo","Delaney, Jennifer","Ward Hood, Denice","Nelson, Jennifer","Ruedas-Gracia, Nidia"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Green, Kerri Ann"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2024-07-09","2024-08"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["text","Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Higher Education","College Affordability","Tuition Pricing","Differential Tuition","Free College","No-loan Program","Illinois Commitment","Major Choice"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en","eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2024 Kerri Green"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125582"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-02-04 without embargo terms","The student, Kerri Green, accepted the attached license on 2024-07-08 at 15:27.","The student, Kerri Green, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2024-07-08 at 15:31.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2024-07-09 at 16:37.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #20987 on 2025-02-04 at 21:04:30","This study explores the influence of differential tuition and no-loan programs, such as Illinois Commitment, on undergraduate major choice. Tuition pricing, specifically differential tuition, and no-loan programs related to affordability are essential to understand, as they guide the study. While tuition pricing may be a deterrent for many lower-income students and their families, understanding financial aid and the benefits of attending college can positively impact their decision-making (G. A. Berg, 2016; Hillman, 2013; Perna & Li, 2006; Perna & Thomas, 2009). Differential tuition was created and introduced for different purposes based on the campus, and one of those reasons was to assist in off-setting costs of majors that require more to educate their students. However, now it also is associated with high-demand majors (Leslie & Brinkman, 1987; Nelson, 2008; Stange, 2015). The implementation of no-loan programs such as Illinois Commitment has been helpful in creating access for lower-income students not only to higher education but also to majors that utilize differential tuition models (de Gayardon, 2018a, 2018b; Hillman, 2013). This study is conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) specifically within two units: the Gies College of Business and the Division of General Studies. This qualitative phenomenological study interviewed 12 undergraduate students and six undergraduate professional academic advisors, equally representing the sites of this study. Additionally, students’ receipt of Illinois Commitment or no Illinois Commitment is equally represented across the participants. This dissertation study is grounded in Schlutz’s (1961) and Becker’s (1962) human capital theory which informed the research questions and the interview protocols. Analysis of the data resulted in four key interconnected themes: 1) Financial Awareness of Undergraduate Students; 2) Tuition as an Investment; 3) Financial Support Systems; and 4) Non-Financial Support Systems. The findings suggest that students perceive majors that have a tuition differential to have opportunities, benefits, and advantages over other majors. Additionally, the findings indicate that students are aware of financial factors that influence their major choices and that financial systems are key to their access in higher education. However, students in receipt of Illinois Commitment were allowed to be less concerned about tuition costs. In addition, students who do not receive Illinois Commitment attempt to find alternative routes to the major of their choice as well as financial support to afford higher-priced majors so they can gain the perceived benefits of those majors."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Influences of differential tuition and a means-tested no-loan program on college major choice"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Baber, Lorenzo","Delaney, Jennifer","Ward Hood, Denice","Nelson, Jennifer","Ruedas-Gracia, Nidia"],"dc:creator":["Green, Kerri Ann"],"dc:date":["2024-07-09","2024-08"],"dc:description":["Submission original under an indefinite embargo labeled 'Open Access'. The submission was exported from vireo on 2025-02-04 without embargo terms","The student, Kerri Green, accepted the attached license on 2024-07-08 at 15:27.","The student, Kerri Green, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2024-07-08 at 15:31.","This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2024-07-09 at 16:37.","DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #20987 on 2025-02-04 at 21:04:30","This study explores the influence of differential tuition and no-loan programs, such as Illinois Commitment, on undergraduate major choice. Tuition pricing, specifically differential tuition, and no-loan programs related to affordability are essential to understand, as they guide the study. While tuition pricing may be a deterrent for many lower-income students and their families, understanding financial aid and the benefits of attending college can positively impact their decision-making (G. A. Berg, 2016; Hillman, 2013; Perna & Li, 2006; Perna & Thomas, 2009). Differential tuition was created and introduced for different purposes based on the campus, and one of those reasons was to assist in off-setting costs of majors that require more to educate their students. However, now it also is associated with high-demand majors (Leslie & Brinkman, 1987; Nelson, 2008; Stange, 2015). The implementation of no-loan programs such as Illinois Commitment has been helpful in creating access for lower-income students not only to higher education but also to majors that utilize differential tuition models (de Gayardon, 2018a, 2018b; Hillman, 2013). This study is conducted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) specifically within two units: the Gies College of Business and the Division of General Studies. This qualitative phenomenological study interviewed 12 undergraduate students and six undergraduate professional academic advisors, equally representing the sites of this study. Additionally, students’ receipt of Illinois Commitment or no Illinois Commitment is equally represented across the participants. This dissertation study is grounded in Schlutz’s (1961) and Becker’s (1962) human capital theory which informed the research questions and the interview protocols. Analysis of the data resulted in four key interconnected themes: 1) Financial Awareness of Undergraduate Students; 2) Tuition as an Investment; 3) Financial Support Systems; and 4) Non-Financial Support Systems. The findings suggest that students perceive majors that have a tuition differential to have opportunities, benefits, and advantages over other majors. Additionally, the findings indicate that students are aware of financial factors that influence their major choices and that financial systems are key to their access in higher education. However, students in receipt of Illinois Commitment were allowed to be less concerned about tuition costs. In addition, students who do not receive Illinois Commitment attempt to find alternative routes to the major of their choice as well as financial support to afford higher-priced majors so they can gain the perceived benefits of those majors."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125582"],"dc:language":["en","eng"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2024 Kerri Green"],"dc:subject":["Higher Education","College Affordability","Tuition Pricing","Differential Tuition","Free College","No-loan Program","Illinois Commitment","Major Choice"],"dc:title":["Influences of differential tuition and a means-tested no-loan program on college major choice"],"dc:type":["text","Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D."],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:25:02Z"}