A review of the literature reveals that low-income students encounter barriers to higher education. Common barriers include the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, n.d.; College Board 2010; Dwyer 2015; Feeney and Heroff 2013; Goldrick-Rab 2016; Nagaoka, Roderick and Coca 2009; Perez-Antonia 2016)…

This paper studies the effectiveness of individual federal income tax credits and deductions that are made available to college students and their families who satisfy income and certain other eligibility requirements. Such credits and deductions are collectively called "tax-based aid." Tax-based aid is found here to have a limited…

This brief examines two types of state service-contingent aid programs: conditional grants/loans and loan forgiveness. Conditional grant or loan programs provide a financial award to currently enrolled students and, in exchange for receipt of the award, students must fulfill certain service or work requirements after graduating from college. Loan…

In fiscal years 2014-15 and 2015-16, Colorado's public institutions witnessed the smallest year-over-year percent increases in tuition rates in more than a decade. This was largely the result of increases in General Fund support for higher education. In an attempt to maintain this progress, the General Assembly chose to hold the Department of…

Free college, or "Promise" programs--a model of student aid that covers at least full tuition costs for a subset of a given state's residents--have received a significant boost in the past few years. A central question has been whether the model benefits from more consistent political support over time as compared to other forms of…

Students and families confront a detrimental lack of information and transparency when making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives: paying for college. The report analyzed thousands of financial aid award letters and found not only that financial aid is insufficient to cover the cost of college for many students, but also that…

This publication is an overview of Higher Education in California to provide readers with a deeper understanding about how the public systems work. The primer outlines the mission, enrollment, cost of attendance, and governance and funding structure of each of California's public higher education systems. This resource also provides critical facts…

Families may choose to save for college or elementary and secondary education expenses using tax-advantaged qualified tuition programs (QTPs), also known as 529 plans. 529 plans, named for the section of the tax code which dictates their tax treatment, are tax-advantaged investment trusts used to pay for education expenses. The specific tax…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important application that prospective college students must complete to qualify for state and federal aid. This report describes how school district FAFSA completion rates are related to district-level poverty rates across and within states. Given that students from low-income backgrounds…

While nontraditional students are a growing population in colleges and universities today, their presence can also be seen throughout history. National policies and practices throughout United States history enabled a more diverse population of students to enter higher education, thus increasing the nontraditional student population. In this…

Change swept throughout the country with the 2018 elections, bringing 20 new governors into office. Whether returning or starting their first term, governors are taking the opportunity in their State of the State addresses to highlight achievements and outline plans for the future. Every governor who has given an address has mentioned an…

Outcomes-based funding (OBF) has become an increasingly common tool for states seeking to improve student outcomes, and the inclusion of certificates in OBF policies has been subject to considerable scrutiny. But studying the effects of OBF on certificates is exceptionally challenging. Certificates vary greatly in length, type, and labor market…

The complex financial choices students must make are compounded by the fact that, for decades, the cost of college has been rising far faster than incomes. Between 2004-2005 and 2015-2016, prices for undergraduate tuition, fees, room, and board at public institutions rose 34 percent, after adjustment for inflation. Students and their families have…

The Federal Pell Grant Program is the nation's largest need-based grant program. While students' initial eligibility for the Pell is based on financial need, renewal is contingent on meeting minimum academic standards similar to those in models of performance-based scholarships, including a grade point average (GPA) requirement and ratio of…

College attendance is a risky investment. But students may not recognize when they are at risk for failure, and financial aid introduces the possibility for moral hazard. Academic performance standards can serve three roles in this context: signaling expectations for success, providing incentives for increased student effort, and limiting…