Data shows higher retention rates among students receiving Bobcat CARES aid

Texas State University students impacted by COVID-19 who received Bobcat CARES funding in the spring of 2020 were significantly more likely to return and continue their studies in the fall 2020 semester that students who did not receive funding.

During the spring 2020 semester, 17,648 students, or 50.9% of the total student population, received some sort of financial support from Bobcat CARES. Of those students, 79.5% of them returned in the fall, compared with 70.5% of students who did not receive financial support, a difference of 9.1% between the two groups.

"Texas State is grateful that we are able to provide emergency grants for many thousands of our students this spring thanks to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund," said Eric Algoe, vice president for Finance and Support Services. "We look forward to being able to help more students this summer and fall."

The Bobcat CARES program was established to distribute $30 million in student assistance, including more than $15 million in federal emergency funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized by the CARES Act. Bobcat CARES provided funds directly to eligible students with COVID-19 related expenses, emergency grants to all students enrolled in summer courses, pro-rated refunds of certain spring semester charges, and a new scholarship to cover fee and tuition costs for the fall 2020 semester.  

The retention data indicates that the CARES allocation may have helped Texas State students deal with the financial burden caused by the COVID-19 crisis and assist with the costs of attending college by providing money directly to them.