College and university rankings have received considerable attention throughout the world. To date, very little inquiry has examined the role of these rankings in shaping international student enrollment, which is surprising given many institutions' desire to recruit these students. The present study explores this issue by examining data from…

This guest perspective argues that converting in-person summer pre-college program participants into matriculated, degree-seeking undergraduate students at that same institution is a multi-step process that involves: 1) strategic pre-college program recruitment, 2) a curated and well-rounded summer pre-college experience that is both academically…

This study leverages a policy change in the missionary program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that exogenously influenced the likelihood that a woman took gap time during college to understand how gap time influences women's subsequent choice of major and academic outcomes. If structured gap time shapes educational outcomes,…

The global increase in enrolment in higher education (HE) has increased the diversity of students who access HE, which poses a challenge because we have a limited understanding of the way students experience HE institutions. This paper investigates why students dropout of HE and propose preventive measures. Dropout has adverse effects on student…

This study focuses on members of Generation Z, born from the mid-1990s until the end of the first decade of the current century into a world of technology, social networks, and a culture of immediate messaging. The study seeks to examine the effect of this generation's pragmatic outlook both in general and in the context of acquiring a higher…

California's public higher education institutions have been crucial in positioning the state as the 5th largest economy in the world. The economic benefits of higher education include higher annual wages, lifetime earnings, and wealth accumulation for individuals, as well as higher tax revenues and lower social program costs for the state. College…

In March of 2020, the global pandemic changed nearly every aspect of daily life around the world. Colleges and universities were forced to close their physical facilities and deliver both instruction and support services online, and higher education enrollment across the country declined. In the California State University (CSU) system, following…

This study examines U.S. national colleges and universities that have de-emphasized or eliminated ACT and SAT scores and have implemented test-optional policies for undergraduate admissions. The study investigates the test-optional admissions trend and provides a "pre-post" quantitative analysis of test-optional policy effects on the…

The classification of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) was formally recognized in federal legislation for capacity-building support to improve the access and quality of education for Latino and other low-income students. HSIs are defined as accredited, degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education with 25% or…

This study assesses the impact of involuntary job loss on college persistence by leveraging different job-loss timings relative to a student's college enrollment decision. We find that job loss increases the probability that a working college student leaves college before attaining a degree, but access to short-term credit through credit card…

This paper explores the notion of rurality in Australian tertiary education as part of an investigation into the subtle but distinct differences in participation thinking and patterns among young people in regional, rural and remote communities. Drawing on qualitative data gathered as part of a wider research project for the National Centre for…

Collaboration across a college campus is instrumental in assisting students to be their best selves and to have an amazing college experience. Having worked in higher education for over 22 years, I have personally witnessed how upset students become when having to navigate through their enrollment processes. Taking a look at this topic through Nel…

Against the backdrop of global transformations in university admission systems, the quest for an enrolment paradigm that efficiently identifies and selects high-quality students has gained paramount significance. With the help of propensity score matching (PSM), this study controlled students' backgrounds and compared the performance of students…

Obtaining a college degree has long been considered the key to achieving the American Dream, yet for many it has become increasingly difficult to afford college, as funding for federal financial aid has failed to keep pace with rising tuition costs. Prior research in this area has relied heavily on quantitative data analysis, with limited access…

This research explores the suitability of system-based simulation analysis for higher education (HE) policy-planning. A dynamic system model of the Finnish university funding system covering bachelor-level students is presented. The results show that the model captures the nature of the current funding system, which can be considered a zero-sum…