Research shows the economic benefits of postsecondary degree attainment, including higher earnings and lifetime wages. However, the full cost of college attendance is too high for most students even after receiving tuition assistance, such as grants and scholarships, making access to college inequitable, especially for low-income students and…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate and doctoral programs experience consistently high attrition rates. Moreover, persistent disparities exist in gender and racial representation. Students from historically excluded backgrounds have lower retention rates than white and Asian American students. To date, little work has…

The process of accreditation in higher education, which is the primary gatekeeper of federal financial aid dollars, is overdue for reform. The Trump administration has committed to using accreditation reform to overhaul the system of accountability for college and universities. An executive order in April 2025 indicated that among other changes,…

This study investigates the financial literacy of college student-athletes, a group facing unique financial challenges and opportunities, particularly with the growth of name, image, and likeness deals. Using data from the 2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, this research compares the financial literacy levels of student-athletes to…

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), California's version of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, provides cash assistance to low-income families with children. CalWORKs provides parents with cash assistance for expenses such as food, housing, utilities, or medical care, and may be…

This article provides remarks delivered by Gen. Mark Brown, Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid on September 19, 2019 at the 2019 National College Access Network (NCAN) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gen. Brown granted JCA permission to reprint his remarks.

Hossler and Gallagher's college choice model is a foundational model for understanding students' college choice experience. Various scholars have critiqued the model for assuming that all students have equitable access to college information and resources. Therefore, building on the literature on Latinx undocumented students college access…

For decades, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms were processed electronically by the legacy Central Processing System. In 2021 the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) initiated a system development effort and in December 2023 deployed a new system to process forms for the 2024-2025 school year. However, student aid…

In response to rising college tuition and student debt over the past three decades, some institutions, localities, and states have implemented a range of tuition-free promise programs to promote college access and success. Programs vary widely in their design features, including eligibility stipulations and award structure. I explore the growing…

Simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) entails significant changes to the FAFSA and the methodology for determining eligibility for federal financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year. The changes to the FAFSA form that were mandated by the Simplification Act delayed implementation and shifted the timeline for…

This qualitative study explores the experiences of undergraduate students attending an elite private university during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using interview data from 62 participants, I examine the impact of online learning, living environment, and additional financial aid. I first explore how additional financial resources provided by the…

This Deans Summary highlights the key findings of the "Application Trends Survey: 2024 Report. Market Intelligence," which provides the world's graduate business schools with data and insights to understand current trends in applications sent to graduate management education (GME) programs. The summary report begins with information from…

Current policies and interventions to enhance student success and retention are often tied to full-time enrollment, which are substantiated by studies associating part-time enrollment with lower retention and poorer academic outcomes. However, these findings are limited to studies of first-time college students and do not represent today's…

The United States is home to 45 million foreign-born inhabitants, including naturalized citizens, resident aliens, visa holders, and undocumented immigrants with and without DACA authorization (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). Safeguarded by "Plyler v. Doe" (1982), nearly 65,000 undocumented students finish high school each year (Eusebio &…

Background/Context: Student loans reflect a larger shift in U.S. society in which people are forced to go into debt for basic needs. Student loan debt in the United States has been recognized as a political economic crisis that disproportionately devastates Black people. Scholars have statistically reported on racialized and gendered…