This study offers critical insights into the experiences of First-Generation College Students (FGCS) in Ghana. This phenomenological study included 18 undergraduate FGCS at a large public university in Ghana. By examining the challenges and coping mechanisms of FGCS, the research provides a holistic view of FGCS experiences in West Africa using…

Roughly every five years, the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) publishes a report on the demographic characteristics of transfer students and their post-transfer academic performance. Using data collected at the BC public universities, this report examines pathways and performance of transfer students from the BC…

Research examining the impact of gender on educational outcomes in autistic students has been sparse. To address this gap, this study investigated the educational journeys of students with autism spectrum disorder in British Columbia, Canada. We examined (1) the time it takes for students to receive an initial autism spectrum disorder designation;…

This research investigated how registered training organisations (RTOs) could better support the needs of students throughout their learner journey for them to succeed in their training. The research identified six key characteristics of effective student support, when and how support needs are identified and provided to students through their…

The following case studies explore how emerging and established Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems have used the Education-to-Workforce Indicator Framework (E-W Framework) to support their data system efforts. Developed by Mathematica in partnership with the Gates Foundation, the framework offers guidance on how states can use data to…

State higher education governing agencies in the United States are uniquely positioned between the state government and public postsecondary sector. However, few studies have considered how this organizational characteristic influences these agencies' role in the policy process. The current study seeks to contribute to this gap in the literature…

As institutions look to improve student retention through first-year experience (FYE) courses, some have implemented courses targeted specifically to the international population. A quantitative comparison of international students who took an FYE course with international students who did not take an FYE course was completed to analyze the…

A Monte Carlo algorithm is designed to predict the average time to graduate by enrolling virtual students in a degree plan. The algorithm can be used to improve graduation rates by identifying bottlenecks in a degree plan (e.g., low pass rate courses and prerequisites). Random numbers are used to determine whether students pass or fail classes by…

Over the past decade, 113,000 adults with some college but no degree (SCND) have reconnected with higher education at Tennessee community colleges. Most of these students reconnected at community colleges after attending elsewhere, and many had made substantial progress toward a credential before stopping out. However, after reconnecting, fewer…

This dissertational work provides an analysis between school leader emotional intelligence and academic achievement using selected indicators of student achievement in Alabama high schools. Emotional intelligence levels were measured by administering "The Shutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test to" willing high school principal…

We investigate how the presence of a college affects local educational attainment using historical natural experiments in which "runner-up" locations were strongly considered to become college sites but ultimately not chosen for as-good-as-random reasons. While runner-up counties have since had opportunity to establish their own…

This study aimed to investigate and improve the persistence of first-generation college students at a mid-size, private school in the Northeast. Many institutions treat their students equally, thinking that adopting this stance will be equitable. Unfortunately, a blanket approach to student services can sometimes render inequities among groups…

This research explores the suitability of system-based simulation analysis for higher education (HE) policy-planning. A dynamic system model of the Finnish university funding system covering bachelor-level students is presented. The results show that the model captures the nature of the current funding system, which can be considered a zero-sum…

The California State University's Graduation Initiative 2025 has strengthened and renewed campuses' commitment toward supporting students on their educational journey to ensure they meet their ultimate goal of graduation. Of equal importance is the elimination of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic equity gaps in graduation completion, especially for…

Prior research has explored how international students' interactions with domestic students and with other international students predict their self-reported short-term outcomes, particularly in the context of the environmental challenges that international students may encounter. The present study builds upon this earlier work by using…