My question is about the variable "T4APPROVALDATE" in the most recent cohort data. It indicates the date that the institution was first approved to participate in Title IV aid programs. According to the dictionary, it was derived from FSA. How was it generated? Why there are about 455 institutions participate in Title-IV (OPEFLAG=1) but have "NULL" "T4APPROVALDATE"?
1 Answer
I've checked in about this query and I have received the following response:
The variable T4APPROVALDATE is drawn from the PEPS weekly data extract. IPEDS UNITID is assigned to each OPEID in the extract using information pulled from the PEPS changes of affiliation file and the UNITID/OPEID crosswalk available for download from on the Scorecard data page.
Most of the cases with NULL T4ApprovalDate values are perfect child cases, which are not included in the UNITID/OPEID crosswalk (hence they do not get a UNITID assigned and come back as NULL). All but one of the remaining cases are not currently operating (CURROPER=0).
