This study is part of a randomized control trial examining the results of a promise scholarship program, the Degree Project (TDP). Half of the ninth graders in one Midwestern urban school district were notified about a $12,000 promise scholarship offer if they met certain GPA and attendance requirements (2.5 GPA and 90% attendance). This analysis…

While Black students have experienced significant growth in college enrollment since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Higher Education Act of 1965, they are still less likely than their white counterparts to attend and graduate from a post-secondary institution (Ryan & Bauman, 2016). There have been previous studies on college…

Empirical studies on university choice and access among under-represented racial/ethnic minorities have utilised the concept of school-based social capital (SBSC)--defined by Stanton-Salazar as key resources and support provided by institutional agents (i.e. teachers, counsellors and other staff). They primarily relied upon minority students'…

The Alaska Performance Scholarship is beginning its eighth year, rewarding students who strive to excel in high school and continue their education in degree and certificate programs. Since the program began in 2011: (1) 17,148 high school students have completed the eligibility requirements for APS; and (2) 7,630 students have used the…

Through multilevel analyses of Educational Longitudinal Study and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)-Barron's data sets, this study examined unequal chances for college enrollment for students from different high school types and locations. The study shows that students from more privileged high school sectors are able to maximize…

On November 10, 2005, then Superintendent of the Kalamazoo Public School System, Janice Brown announced--to the surprise of Kalamazoo's residents--the beginning of the Kalamazoo Promise. Fully funded by a set of anonymous donors, the Kalamazoo Promise is an urban revitalization program that offers up to four years of free tuition to any public…

Since 2004, the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) has tracked the postsecondary experiences of successive cohorts of graduating Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students and examined the relationship among high school preparation, support, college choice, and postsecondary outcomes. The goal of this research is to help CPS understand the…

Analysis of 15 U.S. metropolitan areas illustrates that characteristics of higher education in urban marketplaces are diverse. Metropolitan areas of the west and southwest rank highest when variety, access, dependence, and quality are used to assess the marketplaces. Size, region, and strategic economic location explain some of the variations.…