The administration of college financial aid is a key venue through which colleges can affect the likelihood that students will make it to graduation. We investigate the effects of an understudied yet consequential federal student aid policy: Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4). Under R2T4, students "earn" Federal Student Aid over a term or…

First-generation, Pell-eligible Latinas are a growing population in higher education, yet their completion rates are lower than their peers and a deficit mindset dominates the literature about this group. This qualitative case study was meant to understand self-identified first-generation, Pell-eligible Latina students' experiences with academic…

Undergraduate research (UGR), one of several high-impact practices (HIPs) in education, can positively impact student retention and graduation rates. However, not all students take advantage of UGR opportunities, with fewer students from underrepresented minority groups, those with first-generation status, and students eligible for a Pell grant or…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention, and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

A growing number of postsecondary institutions in the United States have removed standardized testing as a requirement for admission. Researchers, however, have suggested that these "test-optional" policies may not benefit underrepresented populations as intended, but instead serve as an additional revenue source for the institution. In…

Course-based undergraduate research is promoted as an equitable strategy for providing the benefits of research experiences to a larger, more diverse population of students pursuing science degrees. Here, we report the impacts of course-based research on the self-efficacy and future goals of students enrolled in introductory biology courses at a…

These are the appendices for the report "The Effects of Expanding Pell Grant Eligibility for Short Occupational Training Programs: Results from the Experimental Sites Initiative." Four appendices are included in the document: (1) Implementation of the 2011 Pell Experiments; (2) Study Design and Analytic Approach; (3) Supporting Details…

The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) is pleased to share this sixth publication in a series of informational briefings developed as part of The Guardians Initiative: Reclaiming the Public Trust, an effort to educate and engage trustees as advocates on key issues in higher education. Institutional endowments are…

States and the federal government have long provided substantial financial support for higher education, but in recent years, their respective levels of contribution have shifted significantly. Given the essential role that government funding plays in higher education access and operations, policymakers across the nation frequently face difficult…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

Colleges and universities are paying increasing attention to students' transition into post-secondary education, including the provision of support to freshmen through structured First-Year Experiences (FYEs). Although low- and-moderate-income students are participating in post-secondary education at increased rates, their performance remains…

Workers today increasingly need postsecondary education to access consistent employment and livable wages, with an estimated 65 percent of jobs requiring some form of postsecondary credential as of 2020. The financial barriers to higher education are particularly high for Black Americans, who on average carry less than a quarter of the familial…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability. Another factor is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Well-rounded and strategically designed approaches to college affordability can…