The Utah Board of Higher Education has implemented a strategic plan to increase access to higher education and facilitate students' pathways to meaningful careers. A key initiative of the plan allows students to earn college credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside traditional college settings, such as through rigorous academic study…

This study leverages a policy change in the missionary program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that exogenously influenced the likelihood that a woman took gap time during college to understand how gap time influences women's subsequent choice of major and academic outcomes. If structured gap time shapes educational outcomes,…

Recently new types of scholarships have emerged known as promise scholarships. A promise scholarship aims to increase collegiate attainment by promising financial aid to eligible students. Promise scholarships differ from traditional scholarships in that promise scholarships are non-competitive and not necessarily needs based. Typical eligibility…

Adult learners currently make up between 25% and 40% of all college-attending students, including military veterans, single mothers, and underemployed workers. Many of these students identify as African American or Latinx, and almost two-thirds (62.5%) attend college part-time. Historically, adult learners have been identified as any…

Cosmetology is one of the most widely and onerously regulated occupations for lower-income workers, yet little research has explored the experiences of aspiring beauty workers. This first-of-its-kind study takes advantage of federal educational data--including a large, and largely untapped, dataset on nondegree credentials and work experience…

A January 2021 executive order requires Utah executive agencies to identify occupational regulations that are no longer necessary or can be reined in to reduce barriers to entry. One regulation that should be on the table is cosmetology licensing. This policy brief draws on a national study to explore the experiences of people pursuing cosmetology…