Pre-college access programs operating in high schools commonly focus on assisting underserved and historically excluded populations of students in preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in postsecondary education. Through two analyses, this study examines the efficacy of two types of access programs in facilitating postsecondary enrollment and…

As in other nations, higher education has many benefits for individual participants and for communities in the United States. But, the opportunity to attain higher education is unequal. To understand the forces that contribute to higher education attainment in the United States, this essay first provides a brief overview of the characteristics of…

The structural conditions by which Black and Latinx students experience education have created an opportunity gap in the access to equitable educational resources, likely leading to reduced educational outcomes. Attempts to understand how educational resources impact educational outcomes for Black and Latinx students are usually limited because of…

College enrollment is on the decline, Gen Z is questioning the cost and value of higher education, and employers face an ongoing struggle to fill jobs with talented candidates. The traditional message that college is the only path to a fulfilling career is outdated. It's time to examine what it really means to be employable--and reimagine the…

Associate degrees and credentials in Information Technology (IT) have the potential to open up high-wage and high-opportunity labor market opportunities for learners. Yet structural barriers in access to and completion of these degrees and credentials continue to make it difficult for Black learners and workers to access and thrive in these…

For adults with low incomes and potential first-generation college-goers, enrolling in college can be challenging. The U.S. Department of Education-funded Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) provide supports to help navigate some of the barriers to enrollment, including assistance with completing college and financial aid application processes,…

This dissertation includes three essays that examine the potential of policies, interventions, and curricula in improving transitions to four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. The first essay provides a novel investigation of New York City's adoption of SAT School Day (SSD), which provides universal access to college entrance exams for…

This paper provides an overview of the United States higher education system. It gives readers introductory information about the size, scope and governance model of US higher education. This is a challenging task because higher education in the US is highly decentralized with no single 'system' coordinating all institutions of higher education…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine Black students access and success in health-related degrees by examining enrollment a graduation rates in the Fall of 2016 and the Fall of 2019. Archival data were obtained from THECN consisting of the number of Black students enrolled and number of degrees awarded in health-related degrees at…

Although overall access to higher education has improved for underrepresented minority students (Engstrom & Tinto, 2008), there remains a persistent equity gap in college educational attainment for men of color from low socioeconomic backgrounds. In particular, Southeast Asian male students demonstrate higher attrition rates (Museus &…

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of dual enrollment programs in the State of Alabama. Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in college courses for college credit prior to high school graduation. Advocates consider dual enrollment as a way to transition high school students into college, and they further…

Applying to college and securing financial aid are complex processes that can be barriers to college enrollment, particularly for individuals not entering directly after high school. These adults can seek out support from various organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education-funded Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs), which operate…

This report examines the trends in post-secondary education in Massachusetts following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts has had historically high rates of college enrollment and a highly educated labor force. We focus on two groups of high school graduates: those in the high school class of 2020, whose final year of high school…

California community colleges began implementing a landmark law (AB 705) in 2019, making major assessment and placement reforms that have virtually eliminated remedial prerequisites for both English and math. Now that most students are enrolling directly in courses they need to obtain degrees or transfer to four-year schools, their chances of…

California's community colleges began implementing Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705) in fall 2019, making major assessment and placement reforms that moved students away from remedial prerequisites for English and math and into transfer-level courses. This report examines the progress colleges and students have made in shifting toward transfer-level…