One in four Black Americans who earned a Bachelor's degree, in America, received their degree from a Historically Black Colleges or Universities. (Gasman et al., 2007; Williams & Ashley, 2005). In 2013, Frank Brogan, The Chancellor of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education asked "If kids of color can go anywhere, why are they…

This qualitative study explores the educational experiences of African American students from the rural region of Alabama commonly known at the Black Belt and how the resources they received helped them prepare and gain access to higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine how factors such as rurality, race and class impact rural…

While accountability in higher education has been a topic of debate for decades, in recent years the discussions have shifted to emphasize efficiency and economic measures of success. A prominent example of this accountability movement is the increase in popularity of performance funding policies. These policies connect specific outcomes on state…

More than at any other time, enrolling in postsecondary education is a crucial pathway to finding employment that provides a living wage. While postsecondary education is related to better life outcomes, enrollment in postsecondary education is not uniform. Rural youths are less likely to enroll in college than non-rural youths, and when they do…

Throughout history, the United States has symbolized a place of opportunity, viewed as a place where achieving a better life is possible. This viewpoint still holds true for Latino immigrants, who currently account for more than half of the country's population growth since 2000. Latino families and students specifically see higher education as a…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rural students' personal characteristics and experiences, high school experiences, and postsecondary enrollment patterns. By focusing on factors that differentiate among the educational experiences of rural and metropolitan (urban and suburban) students, this research adds to…

African American students continue to be an underrepresented population in institutions of higher education. This study uses Mickelson's Attitude-Achievement Paradox to explain the effect of individual and contextual SES, students' sense of belonging, achievement and engagement on student's desire to attend college and perceived likelihood of…

This qualitative study was undertaken in order to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of adult students and how they made meaning of their journey. To that end, through in-depth interviews with twenty participants, the study inquired into the journeys to an associate's degree of adult students who were also active duty military service…

This dissertation consists of three chapters that examine the effects of school and students improvement interventions. The first chapter investigates whether, for whom, and under which conditions high school mathematics and science course graduation requirements (CGRs) affect student achievement and educational attainment. Drawing on data from…

The number of students attending higher education institutions has increased across the nation over the past few decades. Nearly 46% of students chose to begin postsecondary education or technical training at a community college (American Association of Community Colleges, 2008). Accessibility and lower tuition have contributed to the enrollment…

The purpose of this study was to find out if the demographic variables of country of origin, generation in the United States (immigration status), income and parental education had an impact on the financial aid packages of Hispanic undergraduate students. This dissertation asked: What is the relation between generation in the United States,…

The driving force behind the recent increase in financial aid for college education is the rapid growth of state merit-based grant programs that provide scholarships to students who meet predefined standards of academic preparation at the state level, and this trend represents one of the most pronounced policy shifts away from a long tradition of…

Research suggests that numerous factors affect community college attendance. Therefore, when students choose to attend community college, those factors often are key aspects of their decisions. Nonetheless, limited information exists that identifies which particular traits affect community college choice and how the background characteristics of…

I analyze two issues on the efficiency of schooling choice. The first chapter analyzes changes in the distribution of college enrollment rates that occurred between 1980 and 2000. It aims not only to explain the 69% increase in the overall college enrollment rates, but also changes in the distribution of college attendees by their ability and…

I develop and structurally estimate an equilibrium model of the college market. Students, who are heterogeneous in both abilities and preferences, make college application decisions, subject to uncertainty and application costs. Colleges observe only noisy measures of student ability and set up tuition and admissions policies to compete for more…