In this qualitative study, undergraduate and graduate students (n = 21) who identified as foster care alumni (FCA) were interviewed about the factors that influenced their academic persistence and retention as they pursued a degree at a 4-year public university in California. Several themes emerged from the study: (a) systemic barriers, (b) a…

This paper reports on the results of a study of 6,654 unique students on the type of research-related activities (e.g., undergraduate research and internships) they participated in while at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). Results indicate that the odds of graduating for students who participated in…

Previous research on student learning outcomes has begun to advocate for the inclusion of student researchers. To fully grasp undergraduate student perspectives of learning objectives, this study was co-created and conducted by undergraduate student researchers, allowing for an inclusive, equity-centered research model to guide our findings. We…

The following study employed a student-centered methodology to understand undergraduate student confusion with student learning outcomes (SLOs), or the statements that specify what students should know or be able to do by the end of a course. Through understanding and investigating student confusion with undergraduate student researchers, we have…

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. Food benefits delivered through the CalFresh program, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can reduce hunger by helping students pay for groceries, but may not reach all eligible students. To date, higher education systems…

California is home to the nation's largest higher education systems which once served as "the model" for access, affordability, and excellence. However, decades of declining state investment and existing policies are "marginalizing the majority" of California students and perpetuating social stratification across the state.…

Despite the documented rise in stress and mental health concerns in college students, few educational studies explore how different types of stress (e.g., life events, chronic stress) affect psychological and academic outcomes (Cox et al., 2016; Smyth et al., 2008; Towbes & Cohen, 1996). This mixed-methods study tested the stress process model…

A new teaching assistant model was adopted and qualitatively assessed for the general chemistry laboratory, in which both an undergraduate and a graduate teaching assistant provided instruction to students during the lab. Verbal interactions between graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants were recorded, transcribed, and coded using the…

This report provides comprehensive data about the tuition and fee prices published by public higher education institutions in the West for academic year 2022-23, including changes in tuition and fee rates over the past one-, five-, and 10-academic year periods. Tuition and fee rates in the region appear to have stabilized over the past decade…

Analysis finds that out-of-pocket college costs are unaffordable for low-income Californians, and often more so at the state's community colleges where tuition is low. This analysis is the third in a series, and is the first to look at affordability challenges of students in different living arrangements. [Debbie Cochrane and Oliver Schak made…

This report provides comprehensive data about the tuition and fees prices published by public higher education institutions in the West for academic year 2021-22, including changes in tuition and fee rates over the past one-, five-, and 10-year periods. Key takeaways from this year's report include: (1) Average resident undergraduate tuition and…

Less than half of adolescent mothers graduate from high school and fewer obtain a post-secondary degree. The purpose of this study is to understand how Latina mothers who experienced childbirth during adolescence transition to parenthood and higher education. We conducted 13 in-depth interviews with Latina mothers enrolled in higher education. We…

This updated TICAS (The Institute for College Access & Success) analysis finds that low-income students and families actually pay less to attend each of the nine University of California (UC) campuses than they would at Cal State (CSU) or California Community Colleges (CCC) in the same region.

This report provides comprehensive data about the tuition and fees prices published by public higher education institutions in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) region for 2020-21, including changes in tuition and fee rates over the past one-, five-, and 10-year periods. Key takeaways from this year's report include:…

What are the benefits and costs of attending a selective public research university instead of a less-selective university or college? This study examines the 2001-2011 Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program, which guaranteed University of California admission to students in the top four percent of California high school classes. Employing…