Dual enrollment (DuE) is an opportunity for high school students to take college-level courses. Participation in dual enrollment allows students to earn high school and college credit simultaneously; thus, decreasing students' time to complete a college degree and saving them tuition costs. Other questions answered in the guide include: (1) How…

Higher education often operates under old rules -- rules that continue despite an increasingly diverse student population and improved understanding of human behavior and choice. Under these old rules, fewer than half of students graduate on time, if at all, and troubling equity gaps exist based on income, race, and ethnicity. It is time for new…

A college degree is essential in our society, especially for students who historically have been left out of our higher education system. But with the current higher education information systems in place, it's difficult, if not impossible, for students and families to get the data they need to make an informed decision about the best institution…

Improved college completion rates are critical to the future of the United States, and states must have better data to understand the nature of the challenges they confront or target areas for policy change. The 2010-2011 National Governors Association (NGA) Chair's initiative, "Complete to Compete", recommends that all states collect data from…

Dual enrollment--the arrangements by which high school students take college courses during the junior and senior year--is a promising "next best thing" for states wishing to increase the number of underrepresented students gaining a postsecondary credential. Dual enrollment also has the potential to save money for families and taxpayers…

This report presents background information on possible strategies for shortening degree-completion times at Texas universities. A brief discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy is presented, along with a rough estimate of the fiscal consequences of each. The report notes that the percentage of students who complete their…

Since 1958, the National Research Council has gathered information on doctoral recipients. This information, available annually in data tape form to supplying institutions, offers an opportunity to improve understanding of progress toward the doctorate and the way it relates to discipline, finances, gender, and age. (Author/MSE)

A framework is offered for institutions to use in identifying and overcoming obstacles to graduate student progress and retention. Seven aspects of graduate education that would have to be altered to reduce student frustration are examined: admissions, graduate curriculum, advising/mentoring, monitoring progress, financial support, institutional…