The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly to achieve coordination and foster unity with regard to higher education. The Commission coordinates two systems of higher education: the University of Tennessee institutions governed by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, and the state…

The vast disparities in college attendance and graduation rates between students from different class backgrounds is a growing social concern. "Economic Inequality and Higher Education" investigates the connection between income inequality and unequal access to higher education, and proposes solutions that the state and federal governments and…

Examines the enrollment and persistence decisions of 674 applicants accepted at one university in the fall of 1992. Results indicate that the university is fulfilling community needs for place-bound students, women students, full-time students, and those students needing a supportive environment. Illustrates how research on aid can benefit…

A study investigated the effect of emergency loans of up to $275 on retention among 504 loan applicants (347 granted and 157 denied) at 1 university. Results indicate the loans had little or no effect on the likelihood of a student remaining in college. (Author/MSE)

Examines the extent to which the financial-aid system promotes access to postsecondary education by equalizing income differences. Describes ways in which students and their families cope with the increasing costs of college, and explores the consequences of full-time and part-time work on college persistence. (SLD)

This paper presents the findings of the 2008 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). This year, CCSSE zeroes in on high expectations and high support as it presents the results of its 2008 survey. Both are critical to student success: Students do best when expectations are high "and" they receive support that helps them…

This article examines the characteristics of low-income undergraduates and how they pay for college. It examines their financial need, describes the contribution of financial aid, and presents what is known about how they close the gap between their costs and the amount of aid they receive. (JM)

Despite substantive research at the national level, local institutional information on students who work off campus while enrolled full time has been sparse. After considering the need for local studies examining the causes of term-time employment and employment's role in persistence, this research explores the appropriateness of using total…

During spring 2001, Noel-Levitz created a student loan default model for the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). The goal of this project was to identify students most likely to default, to identify as risk elements those characteristics that contributed to student loan default, and to use these risk elements to plan and implement targeted,…

This summarizes a study about how well California State University, Chico, Upward Bound participants persist in postsecondary education. Upward Bound graduates entered, are persisting toward their educational goal, or have completed their goal in a single postsecondary institution at a higher rate than the national college-going population. (JM)

The purpose of this study was to examine the way financial factors affect student enrollment decision-making at two points: (1) expectations about financial factors before a student chooses a college--those things that affect college choice decisions such as low tuition have a direct effect on subsequent college decisions; and (2) financial…

This report presents a summary of findings from the Emerging Pathways project, which seeks to identify the diverse needs and characteristics of adult learners, understand patterns of enrollment in credit and non-credit-bearing courses and offer advice to postsecondary institutions and policymakers committed to adult learners' success. Among its…

A survey of 16 rural students attending college in Perth, Australia, found that all of them felt disadvantaged because of issues specific to their rural status. These issues were emotional, social, and financial or a combination thereof. The emotional and social concerns were loneliness, making new friends, and learning to adjust to an urban…

The educational progress of students with different family incomes is analyzed. Three financial aid policies working against dependent students from low-income families are examined: (1) zeroing out calculated negative parental contributions; (2) requiring a minimum self-help expectation from students in this group; and (3) substituting expensive…

A study of the effects of tuition discounting practices on European-American and African-American college students (n=42,793) found that differences in student price response to tuition helps explain differences in persistence rates in the two groups. African Americans were found to be substantially more responsive to tuition than were European…