THE IMPACT OF GUEST STUDENTS ON THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM OF HARRISBURG AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (COST, ENROLLMENT, ECONOMICS; PENNSYLVANIA)

This research investigated the impact that guest students at Harrisburg Area Community College had on the financial support structure of the College. While the study focused on one segment of students at a particular college, the techniques developed could be used with any segment of students at any college, so long as they can clearly be identified. There is extensive literature available on the impact of certain government policies and certain social changes on institutions of higher education. However, little or no literature centers on the financial impact of a specific groups of students who supplement a regular college program by taking courses, particularly in the summer, at a community college. A systematic sample was selected to estimate the cost to the student, local, state, and federal governments, and others of one full-time equivalent guest student registered at Harrisburg Area Community College. The sample was broken down according to whether the student\u27s home institution was a public or private college. The estimated costs were used to construct a matrix which describes the cost to each supporting segment according to the type of institution from which the student came. Standard techniques from the management sciences were used to determine the present value of student loans. This allowed for a comparison of the apparent costs and the true costs to each of the supporting segments. The study reveals: (A) The substantial role of indirect aid, particularly from the federal government. (B) The resulting difference between the apparent cost and the true cost of higher education. (C) The strong dependence of Harrisburg Area Community College on such indirect aid. (D) The impact on the local supporting school districts resulting from guest enrollments. The study provides reasons for the College and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to alter their current policies. Such policy changes include: (1) Recruiting guest students, and (2) Subsidization by the Commonwealth of local school districts on behalf of guest students from the districts