Improving Transfer Outcomes: New Insights to Guide Institutional Partnerships and State Policy

New analysis of federal data by the U.S. Department of Education highlights the critical role that community colleges play in providing a pathway to bachelor’s degree attainment, while also revealing significant variation across states and institutions.

Defining First-Generation College Students

A new research brief from the Common App analyzes how small changes in defining first-generation status can significantly reshape this priority student population. Using application data for over 9 million domestic applicants from 2013-2022, the brief examines factors related to first-generation status over time.

Older and Parenting Students’ Access to Financial Aid and Benefit Programs: A Case Study of Four States

A recent report from New America examines the financial and social service support available to this growing student population, presenting findings from a mixed-methods study of older and parenting students’ access to financial aid and social service or safety net programs in four states: Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas.

A Close Look at Higher Education Enrollment in Fall 2023

The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) continues to provide up-to-date enrollment trends to highlight disparities in pandemic recovery across differing student and institutional characteristics. The NSC’s latest report encapsulates comprehensive data concerning 9.6 million students, both undergraduate and graduate, reported by approximately 1,500 academic institutions.

Presidential Reactions to the Supreme Court Decision on Admissions Vary by Region and Institution Type

After the Supreme Court’s ruling on the consideration of race in postsecondary admissions, Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research partnered to survey presidents and understand their opinions on the ruling and its implications on admissions.

How State Financial Aid Programs Propel Low-Income and First-Generation Students

Recent research by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) shows that nearly 75 percent of all students attend college in their home states, which is usually a requirement to receive state-based financial aid. However, due to the current patchwork of 50 different state aid systems, wide variation exists in both the assistance offered and its effectiveness in increasing college persistence and completion.

Rethinking Student Debt in the Age of the SAVE Plan

A new report from the Urban Institute examines how the Biden administration’s proposed Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan for income-driven repayment (IDR) of federal student loans will impact borrowers across fields of study and higher education sectors.

Understanding an Institution’s Return on Investment: Measuring the Price-to-Earnings Premium

Measuring an institution’s return on investment (ROI) remains a key factor in the college selection and enrollment process and provides valuable information for policymakers and higher education administrators. A new report from the Third Way provides one metric for understanding returns on investment at different institutions of higher education, the price-to-earnings premium (PEP).

Education Department Outlines Strategies for Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education

The U.S. Department of Education las month released a report that spotlights promising, evidence-based approaches that institutions can adopt to achieve the objective of increasing socioeconomic and racial diversity in colleges and universities while staying true to their missions.

Council of Graduate Schools Releases New Report on Graduate Applications and Enrollment

In this year’s report, CGS focused on the role of graduate education, namely master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs, in shaping “the U.S. workforce of tomorrow.” Based on CGS/GRE survey and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data analysis, CGS argued graduate schools must generate 29,000 more educational administrators and educational, guidance, and career counselors to meet imminent labor market needs.

A Deeper Dive into Black Student Access at Selective Private Colleges

As a follow-up to a 2020 report from The Education Trust that brought to light the persistent underrepresentation of Black and Latino students at public universities nationwide, a new study extends their commitment to unraveling the complexities of access and inclusion in higher education.

Navigating Higher Education Employee Retention Challenges: Insights from the 2023 CUPA-HR Survey

CUPA-HR has released the latest version of an annual report that provides insight into employee retention in the field of higher education. The report delves into various factors influencing employee retention, including, but not limited to, the likelihood of seeking alternative job opportunities soon, remote work policies, satisfaction with benefits, well-being, and job environment satisfaction.