For this study, the authors designed an experiment to test whether some high-achieving, low-income students would change their behavior if they knew more about colleges and, more importantly, whether a cost-effective way to help such students realize their full array of college opportunities can be implemented. This was done by randomly assigning…

This paper reports how one Australian university and the Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET) are working together to increase the number of school students from low socio-economic backgrounds enrolling in undergraduate university degrees. This innovative program involves university lecturers and school teachers working together…

From 2005 to 2011, the Gateway Institute for Pre-College Education partnered with three public entities in New York City--the Department of Education, the City University of New York and the Health and Hospitals Corporation--to introduce, educate, and prepare urban high school students for careers in the health professions. Gateway was launched in…

Research in the past decade suggests that a persistent achievement gap between students from low-income minority backgrounds and higher-income white backgrounds may be rooted in theories of student motivation and youth purpose. Yet limited research exists regarding the role of purpose on positive youth development as it pertains to academic…

These "Stories From the Field" describe five Wallace-funded programs working to expand learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children, so they can benefit from the types of opportunities their wealthier counterparts have access to, from homework help to swimming classes. The report details each program's approach, successes and…

The passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which extended need-based financial assistance to the general population for the first time, has improved college access for American students, but more work remains to be done to improve college success. According to government statistics, in 2006, about one in six students had earned a degree or…

The CollegeKeys Compact[TM] is a national call to action to school districts, colleges and universities, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations to identify, share and expand programs and practices that address the needs and challenges of low-income students and help them get ready for, get into and get through college. The College…

Launched in 2003, "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count" is a multiyear national initiative designed to improve educational outcomes for community college students, particularly students of color and low-income students. Supported by Lumina Foundation for Education and other funders, the initiative has grown to include 98…

This report presents findings from the third of a series of studies of the Upward Bound (UB) program. The study was conducted between April, 1978, and September, 1979, to investigate long-term educational outcomes of UB program participation. The Upward Bound program was designed for low income high school students with potential for successfully…

An evaluation of the TRIO/Special Services program at the University of Minnesota, General College, is presented. Descriptions are provided of program operations, services offered, the program participants, and student eligibility. Program effectiveness is also assessed in terms of student outcomes, and individual program services are examined as…

A study of a summer bridge program's effects on low-income and minority groups students during their first year at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that such programs can facilitate transition and adjustment to university or college life and improve academic performance and persistence rates. (Author/MSE)

The federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, strives to equalize low-income students' access to higher education by increasing their participation in rigorous coursework, providing expanded opportunities for low-income students and parents to learn about postsecondary educational opportunities and…

The 1983-1984 evaluation of the TRIO/Special Services program at the University of Minnesota, General College, is presented. Program goals and course descriptions for the integrated course of study are described, as are counseling and tutoring services, student eligibility, and characteristics of program participants. A demographic profile for…

This paper addresses developmental education programs as mechanisms for enhancing the survival rates of disadvantaged populations in higher education. Specifically, the paper identifies and discusses the critical dimensions of effective developmental education programs, including recruitment, admissions, diagnosis and prescription, orientation,…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue looks at changes in cohort composition. The analysis addresses the changing composition of the Achieving the Dream student cohorts from 2002 to 2005. The data show that at Achieving the Dream colleges, the percentage of Hispanic students increased over the four cohorts…