As the coronavirus pandemic ravaged communities, cities, and countries in 2020, colleges and universities faced a unique emergency. Millions of students were struggling to meet their basic needs, and institutional emergency aid funds were rapidly running out. For the first time in history, Congress responded by authorizing billions of dollars in…

The limited availability of college counseling for many students, especially those from low-income families, means that advising and ready assistance with each stage of the college search and application process is lacking. The research summarized in this brief indicates that the deficiencies in the quality and quantity of college counseling…

Like the federal Pell Grant program, need-based state grant programs are designed to increase access to higher education among low- and moderate-income students. A growing body of research indicates that adequate funding is a necessary but not sufficient condition for successfully achieving this goal. Aid programs that are easy to understand and…

Many states are experimenting with mechanisms for making college more affordable while maintaining quality and access. This report examines promising or innovative state programs to improve college affordability and credential attainment. Many of these approaches show innovative thinking and bear watching to see if they result in meaningful…

In December 2004, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will update the amount it allows families to deduct for state and other tax payments when applying for financial aid. These changes affect the way both the Federal Pell Grant and the Minnesota State Grant programs calculate a family's ability to pay. Larger assigned family…

Minnesota assigns responsibility for paying the price of college to students, families and taxpayers. This document explores how the state determines the financial role of each contributor, offers incentives for families and students to prepare for assuming their share of costs, and discusses how higher education institutions and political leaders…

This report analyzes increases in Minnesota's higher education tuition since the early 1970s, compares national and Minnesota tuition rates and trends, reviews the state's goals for federal Pell grants and how state grant money is allocated to individuals, determines whether students face undue barriers in applying for state grants, and considers…