While male high school graduates were more likely to enroll in college than their female counterparts three decades ago, this pattern reversed by the late 1980s. The gender gap in college attendance rates has continued to increase ever since. In this paper, I examine several factors that might affect the diverging college entrance patterns for…

In the summer of 2008, the Commonwealth of Virginia was awarded a $1.1 million grant from the U. S. Department of Education. The College Access Challenge Grant Program (CACGP) is coordinated through the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The focus of the grant is to increase student access to postsecondary education,…

This report examines the path to college for students in academically advanced programs-- graduates of Chicago's seven Selective Enrollment schools, those who completed International Baccalaureate programs, and graduates who had taken a sequence of at least six honors and two Advanced Placement classes. This report expands on the findings of…

As more Americans enter college than ever before, their pathways through the broadly differentiated higher education system are changing. Movement in, out, and among institutions now characterizes students' attendance patterns--half of all undergraduates who begin at a four-year institution go on to attend at least one other college, and over…

"Policy Alert" is a publication series that summarizes important policy findings affecting the future of higher education. This issue looks at the benefits of increasing a state's "educational capital," and highlights four key transition points of the "educational pipeline" marking students' progress from high school to completion of a college…

Does student aid increase college attendance or simply subsidize costs for infra-marginal students? Settling the question empirically is a challenge, because aid is correlated with many characteristics that influence educational investment decisions. A shift in financial aid policy that affects some youth but not others can provide an identifying…

Institutions of higher education face exceptional challenges in today's environment. College costs are increasing, funding is decreasing and/or limited, public confidence is diminishing, the work-place is changing, and a shrinking pool of traditional-age college students exists. This creates an environment where colleges and universities find…

The U.S. Congress has mandated that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report to help inform policymakers about the progress of education in the United States. Using data from across the center and from other sources of education data, "The Condition of Education 2015" presents 42 key indicators on…

This Report Card is the first full assessment of the educational performance as a state, from birth through higher education. It compares performance to other states, looks at recent trends, and shows whether Illinois is meeting their obligations to all students or just a limited few. The scope of the report runs from birth through higher…

Access to family-supporting jobs now requires education or training beyond high school, but college is becoming less affordable and the education "pipeline" from high school to and through college remains shockingly inefficient, despite the reform efforts of the past several decades. According to one study, for every hundred students who enter…

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation asked Jobs for the Future to explore the degree to which secondary and postsecondary institutions in the six New England states are implementing dual enrollment. This report of the findings of that research focuses on secondary/postsecondary systems and programs serving the second population--those who may not…

This report identifies the number of students that transition to public post-secondary within four years after high school graduation. The report also considers the effect on transition rates of academic GPA, post-secondary programs of study, completion rates, attendance patterns and student retention and movement within the public post-secondary…

Financing higher education requires political leaders, policymakers, and educators to address broad public policy questions, including ascertaining: the levels of state funding to colleges and universities that are necessary to maintain the economic and social well-being of the American people; the tuition levels that are appropriate given the…

A primary goal of California's higher education system is to provide capable students access to higher education regardless of the high school they attended, their ethnicity, their gender, or their socioeconomic status. Overall, college-going rates declined between 1985 and 2005. The percentage of public high school graduates going to community…

The purpose of a state report card is to provide the general public and policymakers with information to assess and improve post secondary education in each state. "Measuring Up 2008" is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that evaluates states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation for post-secondary education…