Intervention (Hidden)
After obtaining consent, we will ask the following questions:
1. What is your student loan balance? (screener/validation question)
Have you ever taken out a student loan to help pay for your own education? This would exclude
loans you took out for any other person (e.g. ParentPLUS loans).
Yes
No [Screen out]
IF YES. Which of the following categories best describes the approximate amount of all your
student loans, both federal and/or private student loans, for both your undergraduate and/or
graduate education, that you owe for your own education as of today?
None ($0)
$1-4,999
$5,000-9,999
$10,000-14,999
$15,000-19,999
$20,000-29,999
$30,000-39,999
$40,000-49,999
$50,000-99,999
$100,000 or more
Don’t know
Prefer not to answer [Screen out]
2. You indicated that you took out student loans to pay for your own education. There are two
types of loans we are interested in:
• Federal student loans are issued or guaranteed by the federal government. They can be
subsidized or unsubsidized and never require a cosigner.
• Private student loans are borrowed from a private lender, such as a bank, institution, credit
union, or state, and usually require a co-signer. Have you ever taken out a federal student loan,
a private student loan, or have you taken out both?
Federal student loan only
Private student loan only
Both federal and private student loan
Don’t know
Prefer not to answer [Screen out]
3. In February 2020, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, do you remember what kind
of repayment plan you were enrolled in?
None, Still in school
Standard Repayment Plan: Make the same payment amount every month for 10 years
Graduated Repayment Plan: Payment amounts start low and increase every two years. Loans
are paid off within 10 years
Extended Repayment Plan: Make a payment amount every month for longer than 10 years
(up to 30 years)
Income-Driven Repayment Plan (IDR): Monthly payment amounts are tied to your income and
family size
None, Loans were in default
Don’t know
4. In March 2020, the federal government announced that federal student loan payments and
interest would be temporarily paused for most borrowers as part of the pandemic assistance
efforts and this “payment pause” is still in place.
Prior to this taking this survey, were you aware that the federal government paused payment
for most federal student loans?
Yes
No
5. During the payment pause related to the COVID-19 pandemic, have you continued to make
payments on your federal student loan(s)?
Yes, I am still required to make monthly payments
Yes, I voluntarily make full payments each month
Yes, I voluntarily make partial or full payments when I can, but not every month
No, I haven’t made any payments since payments were paused
Don’t know
6. If YES to 5. What kind of repayment plan are you currently enrolled in?
Standard Repayment Plan: Make the same payment amount every month for 10 years
Graduated Repayment Plan: Payment amounts start low and increase every two years. Loans
are paid off within 10 years
Extended Repayment Plan: Make a payment amount every month for longer than 10 years
(up to 30 years)
Income-Driven Repayment Plan (IDR): Monthly payment amounts are tied to your income and
family size
Don’t know
7. IF NO to 5. The current payment pause is expected to end in May 2022.
To what extent do you agree with the following statement: When student loan payments start
again in May 2022, I will be able to afford the same monthly amount that I was paying prior to
the payment pause related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
8. IF NO to 5. What do you think is the percent chance that the repayment pause will be
extended again beyond May 2022?
Slider from 1 to 100
9. What do you think is the percent chance that AT LEAST SOME of your student loan debt will
be forgiven
in the next year?
Slider from 1 to 100
in the next 2-5 years?
Slider from 1 to 100
in the next 5-10 years?
Slider from 1 to 100
10. What do you think is the percent chance that MOST of your student loan debt will be
forgiven
in the next year?
Slider from 1 to 100
in the next 2-5 years?
Slider from 1 to 100
in the next 5-10 years?
Slider from 1 to 100
11. Approximately how much savings do you have available in your bank accounts?
None ($0)
$1-4,999
$5,000-9,999
$10,000-14,999
$15,000-19,999
$20,000-29,999
$30,000-39,999
$40,000-49,999
$50,000-99,999
$100,000 or more
Don’t know
Prefer not answer