This study examines how an urban, California high school supports undocumented students' college access and the challenges the school and students encounter. Employing case study methodology, school observations and interviews with 14 undocumented students and 13 educators were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the processes involved in…

The COVID-19 pandemic has created and will continue to create uncertainty in all facets of everyday life, exacerbating current challenges -- and generating new ones -- for every sector of the economy, including postsecondary education. As the pandemic continues, postsecondary education faces increasing pressures as concerns about health and…

More California high school graduates are academically ready for college than ever before. More are applying to and enrolling in college, and both the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) are expanding access for example--UC pledged to enroll 10,000 more freshmen and transfer students between 2016 and 2018. But…

A teacher's primary responsibility is the academic skill development of students. However, as detailed in this study, high school students report that they are more likely to reach out to teachers for college guidance than any other adults. Thus, teachers are uniquely positioned as "institutional agents" for students interested in…

The value of a college degree continues to rise. A bachelor's degree in particular provides unrivaled economic and health benefits not just for the individual earning the degree, but for the entire state. Therefore, it is not surprising to see growing demand for a college education coupled with growing eligibility for California's public…

Many high school students are eligible for college but they do not go, or they attend a less demanding postsecondary institution. Their problems are twofold--either (1) they lack the counseling and support structures necessary to apply to college, or (2) they lack the counseling and support structures that enable them to apply to the kind of…

There is broad consensus that our nation must increase the number of low-income and first-generation students who enroll in and complete college, yet many academically capable low-income students enroll in nonselective four-year and two-year colleges where graduation rates are low and where they are less likely to succeed; others fail to enroll at…

The past five years have seen unprecedented changes in freshman admissions at the University of California, reflecting steep cuts in state funding that UC sustained during that period as well as changes in UC's definition of who is eligible to enter the university. The number of California applicants who were "not" admitted to the UC…

Today a college degree is considered the ticket to a good job and the gateway to economic advancement. A student's chances of gaining admission to college, however, are often based more on parental wealth than the student's achievements. At the nation's most selective colleges, three percent of incoming freshmen come from families in the bottom…

Migrant students are among the most disadvantaged of any groups in the United States, yet little is understood about factors that facilitate their college access. College access outreach programs rarely collect data on whether and where their students go to college. This longitudinal study tracked the college-going behaviors of migrant students…

This report presents findings of the California State Postsecondary Education Commission's study of the eligibility of California's public high school graduates for freshman admission to the University of California and the California State University in the fall of 1986. The Commission systematically selected transcripts from 15,973 students from…

The estimated proportions of California's 1982-1983 high school graduates who were eligible for admission to the University of California (the University) and the California State University (the State University) are reported. After a discussion of the scope and conduct of the California State Postsecondary Education Commission's 1983 High School…

The experiences of 10 states described in this paper illustrate how higher education can be a constructive force for change in the schools, and how the changes taking place in school-based curriculum and assessment provide valuable lessons for collegiate reform. The 10 states profiled are California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New…

High school transcripts and standardized college entrance examination test score results from approximately 6 percent of California's 1990 public high school graduates (n=13,641) were evaluated by University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) college admissions officers as if they were records submitted by actual freshman…

This report provides information about students in postsecondary education in California, including information on first-time freshmen and transfer students, as well as other data, including total enrollments and student outcomes. Most of the tables display information covering the period 1988-89 through academic year 1997-98. Tables are organized…