Which students are more likely to receive registration sanctions in college?

What is it about?

This study demonstrated that registration sanctions (i.e., registration holds, registration cancellation) at a public research university were more likely among students with the greatest financial need, students of color (in particular, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Multiracial), and those with lower academic skills or preparation (as measured by ACT score). Of particular concern, Black and African American students were more likely to receive registration sanctions even after controlling for the size of the past due balance and their financial need.

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Photo by Good Free Photos on Unsplash

Photo by Good Free Photos on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Students who are unable to pay their university bill on time face potential sanctions, including restrictions on class enrollment, college completion, and even the withholding of academic transcripts. Registration sanctions were originally intended to serve as an intervention point, where students would be required to see someone at the institution to address the underlying issue. Despite these good intentions, students who are hesitant to seek help might instead experience these as barriers to their progress and create further fees and delays in academic progress. Further research is needed to understand whether sanctions are disproportionately placed on, or released from, students’ accounts and to better understand the emotional or psychological toll of receiving these sanctions.