Few people in the U.S. have adequate finances for college tuition. Many scholarships, grants, federal loans, and work study funds are connected to students through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA also connects students to free tuition in the form of Promise programs offered in some U.S. states. Many students of varying…

Despite high prices, many college students do not re-file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or file late, making college less affordable. Low-cost technological interventions delivering personalized information and/or advising may improve refiling and academic outcomes, but questions remain regarding the efficacy of this…

This article provides remarks delivered by Gen. Mark Brown, Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid on September 19, 2019 at the 2019 National College Access Network (NCAN) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gen. Brown granted JCA permission to reprint his remarks.

The digital transformation of knowledge dissemination and academic publishing have sparked copyright disputes in the educational sector related to the scope of fair dealing. This study contributes (a) an empirical basis for such discussions by analyzing 3,391 course syllabuses (2015-2020) from 34 Canadian universities, and (b) a potential…

This reflective essay follows a faculty working group as they attempt to understand barriers to access to course materials through the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Through the workgroup's research and collaboration with students in a problem-based learning course, the workgroup uncovered elements of the hidden curriculum in…

Background/Context: Student loans reflect a larger shift in U.S. society in which people are forced to go into debt for basic needs. Student loan debt in the United States has been recognized as a political economic crisis that disproportionately devastates Black people. Scholars have statistically reported on racialized and gendered…

U.S. citizens or permanent residents, enrolled at least half time in a qualified program at a participating school, not in default on a prior federal student loan, and not previously convicted of a drug offense while receiving federal financial aid are eligible to apply for a student loan. This chart summarizes the interest rates, loan limits, and…

Making college more affordable for families has been a critical issue for states in the SREB region for many years. Now the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have created additional barriers to college affordability. This brief provides an overview of college affordability in the SREB region based on data from the 2017-2018…

The purpose of this case study is to understand higher education administrators' perceptions of New York State's tuition-free initiative, the Excelsior Scholarship. A comprehensive literature review offers insights into a select history of higher education policy, as well as the current condition of public higher education. Guided by a…

Higher education in the United States has seen incredible change over the past year and a half due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Postsecondary institutions have had to become increasingly flexible as they continue to deal with myriad changes including but not limited to: social distancing, mask mandates, virtual and hybrid…

As students throughout New England head back to school this fall, tens of thousands of them have a head start on a bright future through a Children's Savings Account (CSA). These investments in children's future postsecondary education are offered in cities and states throughout the region--and beyond--and all share a goal of boosting…

This manuscript focuses on the role of Black megachurches in addressing the historical educational exclusion that continues to affect Black students' college access. Secondary data analysis of semistructured qualitative interviews with 27 church and ministry leaders of three Black megachurches in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. uncovered how…

This poll was conducted between August 2-6, 2024 among a sample of 2,252 Adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. Results based on the full survey have a measure of precision of plus or minus 2.32 percentage…

In response to rising college tuition and student debt over the past three decades, some institutions, localities, and states have implemented a range of tuition-free promise programs to promote college access and success. Programs vary widely in their design features, including eligibility stipulations and award structure. I explore the growing…

The aim of this study is to explore the existence of different segments of future university students on the basis of their university selection criteria and to analyse the extent to which the segments identified differ as regards the students' perceptions of the reliability of university communication tools. This has been done using 605 usable…