How colleges determine who is recruited, who merits admission, who receives student aid and of what variety, which classes are offered and when, and what kind of assistance is provided to students all comprise a complex system and an emerging field known as enrollment management. Outside of the world of higher education administration, however,…

Every college age student should have the opportunity to attend college and earn a degree, but the fiscal realities for lower income students prevent the majority from attending and the vast majority from completing college, thus perpetuating an intergenerational trend of limited postsecondary education and a likelihood of marginal income and…

Despite tremendous recent interest in the subject of student debt by both researchers and policy makers, little is known about how the distribution of college graduate debt has been evolving and what factors can explain it. We use National Postsecondary Student Aid Study data from 1990 through 2008 to document the evolution of college graduate…

Gaps in average college success among students of differing backgrounds have persisted in the United States for decades. One of the primary ways governments have attempted to ameliorate such gaps is by providing need-based grants, but little evidence exists on the impacts of such aid on longer-term outcomes such as college persistence and degree…

The vision of Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is to build strong communities, individuals and families, and achieve a greater global competitiveness and prosperity for the state and its economy by raising the knowledge and skills of the state's residents. The most urgent mission of the Washington State Board for…

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL System), under the governance of its Board of Trustees, operates as a strong public university system with eight distinct, mission-driven universities, and enhances the quality of life of Mississippians by effectively meeting their diverse educational needs. Five-year Goals for the system have…

In an era where campus environments were often unwelcoming to women, and there were few women role models, an innovative program funded by the National Institute of Education produced 100% completion by female and minority doctoral students. At a 25-year reunion, the graduates reflected on their program experiences and careers. Reflections were…

In the absence of extensive data on doctoral institution choice, assumptions by faculty and administrators flourish. Due to increasing calls for diversity, continuing economic hardship, and decreasing yield rates, especially for underrepresented minorities, a highly selective research university (very high research activity) administered two sets…

Equity in Excellence is a two-year project launched in 2013 to support the implementation of Colorado's higher education reform agenda. With a focus on the metropolitan Denver area, the project intends to align the state's higher education policies with concrete, equity-focused actions at its public community colleges and four-year institutions.…

These Web Tables provide comprehensive information on undergraduates who were enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions during the 2011-12 academic year. Estimates for enrolled students are presented by attendance status, degree or certificate program, undergraduate major field of study, average grades, student demographic characteristics,…

Slow economic growth in the past several years has strained the financial resources of many American families and heightened financial burdens for families hoping to support their children's college education. These economic struggles come at a critical time for high school students who rely on family resources to fund large portions of college…

The outcomes states gain from investing in postsecondary financial aid programs remain hotly debated, leading to great interest in developing programs that are both cost-effective and productive in helping states meet goals. In the 2012-13 academic year, states collectively provided approximately $11.2 billion in financial aid to students enrolled…

The 2013 study, "Looking Beyond Enrollment: The Causal Effect of Need-Based Grants on College Access, Persistence, and Graduation," examined whether eligibility for the Florida Student Access Grant (FSAG), a need-based grant for low-income students in Florida, affects college enrollment, credit accumulation, persistence over time in…

Nebraska's statutes require the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education to prepare biennially the "Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid Report." This report studies the public policy issues relating to tuition, fees, and financial aid for students in Nebraska. It examines the significant, interrelated issues facing the state's…

Financial aid enables thousands of Texans with limited financial resources to pursue postsecondary education, but need-based grant aid is under attack at state and federal levels. With new restrictions on need-based aid coupled with state budget cutbacks, financial aid rationing threatens college access, persistence, and success for a young and…