THE INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL ANTECENDENTS AND SUBJECT LINES ON EMAIL OPEN RATES FOR DEPENDENT STUDENTS DURING THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS

Abstract

This dissertation examines the influence household finance, savings rates, and expected future income have on open rates for emails sent to undergraduate students during the financial aid process. Extent research has found that the financial aid process is complex and may act as a barrier to entry for post-secondary education. Students from lower socio-economic status (SES) are more reliant on financial aid and lack access to the social capital needed to navigate the financial aid process. As such, financial aid specific emails intended to guide the student through the process should be important to students from lower SES households and result in higher open rates. However, the research in this study suggests the opposite. Students from lower SES households may have adopted counter-productive behaviors regarding matters of finance that result in lower email open rates. The research in this dissertation also examines the mitigating influence subject line design may have on email open rates.