NPSAS20_FAQS_051617.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

2019-20 NATIONAL POSTSECONDARY STUDENT AID STUDY (NPSAS:20) &

POSTSECONDARY SURVEYS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) What is NPSAS and its related studies?

The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) is a cross-sectional survey study that provides information about the costs of postsecondary education and how students and their families pay for these costs. NPSAS is based on a nationally representative sample of undergraduate and graduate students attending all types of postsecondary institutions.

NPSAS has been conducted every three to four years since 1987.

Historically, NPSAS has served as the base-year data collection for the Baccalaureate and

Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B) and the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal

Study (BPS) in alternating NPSAS administrations. The purpose of the B&B is to collect data on students’ education and work experiences after they complete a bachelor’s degree.

The purpose of BPS is to track students’ pathways through postsecondary education, helping to answer questions related to undergraduates’ persistence and attainment outcomes.

2) What studies are included in the NPSAS:20 contract?

This contract covers the NPSAS:20 data collection, the BPS:20/25 follow-up studies, the

NPSAS:22-Administrative Collection, and the BPS postsecondary transcript collection.

3) Is this a new procurement or a recompete?

NPSAS:20 is a recompetition. At any given time, there are three active contracts that cover postsecondary sample surveys. Currently, there are two NPSAS contracts that have on-going studies. The NPSAS:12 contract is currently conducting the second follow-up of the BPS:12 cohort. The NPSAS:16 contract in processing data for the NPSAS:16 data collection, and includes the follow-ups studies for the B&B cohorts: a) one year follow-up for the B&B:16 cohort of graduating college seniors, and b) a ten-year follow-up of the B&B:08 cohort.

4) Who is the incumbent on the current NPSAS contracts?

RTI International is the prime contractor for the NPSAS:12 and NPSAS:16 contracts.

5) What is the differences between the NPSAS:16 and NPSAS:20 contract?

This is a smaller solicitation with fewer optional tasks. In NPSAS:20, the base includes the student interview for NPSAS. It includes follow-up interview only for the BPS cohort established with NPSAS:20, and not options for follow-up of other cohorts. Also, it includes a task for tracking of information requests.

6) What were the sample sizes for previous NPSAS and BPS data collections?

The sample size for NPSAS:16 was approximately 2,000 postsecondary institutions and over

125,000 students. The sample size for BPS:12/17 was approximately 30,000 students.

7) What is the typical data collection mode for student interviews?

We will use a web-based data collection instrument that can be used both for self-administration and for Computer-Assisted-Telephone Interviewing (CATI).

8) What data products will be produced?

A First Look Report and Data File Documentation Report are expected for each study. In addition, data are released via NCES public data tools (QuickStats, PowerStats, and

TrendStats) and a restricted-use data file available through an IES licensing program. The contract also provides for a Public Use Data file.