Access and Affordability

How Washington Monthly’s college ranking really promotes the inexpensive underdog

The D.C.-based nonprofit magazine aims to combat the cog of mainstream narratives hurting the sector's reputation—while critiquing one college ranking titan along the way.

North Carolina’s revolutionary transfer portal forecasts a new national push

North Carolina students and academic advisors now can use one online portal to access the college credit transfer guidelines of nearly 100 institutions. Other states are also improving their pathways to drive degree attainment.

How “course marking” can bring OER to the mainstream

Colleges and universities struggling to communicate how their OER initiative is saving students money and boosting ROI may need these four tips from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.

Paying for college: New insights into how families foot the bill

Families reported spending $28,409 on the 2023-24 academic year, and they paid nearly half with income and savings, according to Sallie Mae. There was also clear evidence of the impacts of FAFSA troubles. 

A textbook case on how one university is saving students $10 million

The University of Houston has increased the market share of students buying course materials from the bookstore by 79%, a 62-percentage-point increase from fall 2022.

Credit for prior learning is showing value. Should your college care?

Credit for prior learning is gaining traction, spelling potential leaps in equitable postsecondary access. However, several factors could hinder its progress without immediate attention, declares a new report from AACRAO.

A look at a unique law that makes transfer credits count

Colorado is guaranteeing a "seamless transfer of course credit" and becomes the first state to require four-year universities to report which two-year credits they accept and reject. Lawmakers believe it will curb college costs and increase graduation rates.

U.S. voters want higher ed reform. Will it play a big role this election season?

The pandemic sprung a changing job market and a deeper mistrust in the cost of college, a new survey by Third Way finds. Here's what U.S. voters will be focusing on in a "high-stakes election year."

FAFSA fail creates “state of emergency” in West Virginia

College-bound West Virginia students can now qualify for the state’s largest financial aid programs without filling out the FAFSA application.

What can private institutions do about the middle-class squeeze?

As institutions increase their need- and merit-based scholarships to assist families from opposite ends of the economic spectrum, middle-class students are left with fewer options—and higher bills.

The 3 factors holding at-risk students back from graduating

Nearly a quarter of today's undergraduate students have seriously considered leaving school or were nearly dismissed, according to a new Sallie Mae study conducted by Ipsos.

Why some institutions can afford to market opaque sticker prices

Some institutions that leverage an intimidating sticker price are incentivized to keep up this practice—and equally dissuaded from stopping. 

This Colorado bill may pave the way for stronger upward transfer success stories

Community college students are often in the dark about which of their courses will count at the four-year level. Colorado wants to make it as transparent as possible—and hold institutions accountable.

How colleges can help moms land a “luxury” career

A joint report by the University of Phoenix and Motherly details why credentials from a college or a university are essential for mothers to secure a stable job—and what colleges can improve to ensure their success.

Here are 9 ways higher education can ensure rural America’s long-term vitality

In an area with fewer educational and professional opportunities, women and minorities are feeling the squeeze the worst. Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce explains just how higher education reverses the trend and leverages the region's track record of resilience.

Community college students are returning to four-year institutions, up nearly 8% since last year

Even more promising is the fact that this uptick in enrollment is mainly driven by students coming from economically disadvantaged groups. 

Inclusive access: Higher ed, feds disagree on how to improve course material affordability

As ideal as inclusive access intends to be, the Department argues it's a model pushed by textbook publishers to wholesale digital materials to entire classes, stripping student choice.

Superintendent: Why bridging the K12-higher ed gap is vital to student equity

"I don't believe in this concept of stop-and-go: You stop high school and go into college. I believe we have to hold their hands and make sure they make it," says Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres.

These access and affordability programs geared toward high schoolers reap great results

Whether by providing financial aid or direct admission, high school students are getting excited about these initiatives easing their entry into college.

Do colleges consider legacy status in admissions? Here’s what the data says

The Supreme Court's dismantling of affirmative action earlier this year sent chills down the spines of higher education and K12 leaders alike over fears that students won't have equal access to college. New data from the U.S. Department of Education reveals just how widespread the practice was.

The road to a bachelor’s degree: 7 ways to strengthen transfer pipelines

Strengthening community college and four-year college pipelines is critical to ensuring equitable student success in higher education, considering the large proportion of Black, Hispanic and other minority students enrolled at the two-year level, according to a new report from the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Why are 87% of these community college students not earning a bachelor’s degree?

Over half of all students of color and those from low-income backgrounds begin at the two-year level, yet less than 15% earn bachelor’s degrees within eight years, according to a new report compiled by the Department of Education.

How degree-granting colleges can reap rewards from alternative pathway students

Several degree-granting colleges and universities have found ways to open students' accessibility to pathway programs—while keeping the door open for continued education.

Us against the world: How are higher ed’s latest trends impacting the U.S. and Canada?

Instructure's latest report discovered that U.S. and Canadian students are behind in adopting AI and are the most afflicted by mental health concerns, among other findings.

Are your school’s hidden costs spooking students? Here’s how to tell it to them straight

With how significantly students today regard colleges' costs and scholarship packages when making their enrollment decision, it may prove wise to take a more transparent approach to student costs. Here are three ways to do so.

One university’s answer to the FAFSA fuss: Making their own forms

Assumption University, a Massachusetts private university, plans to dodge the headache of the new FAFSA implementation with its own form that promises to provide applicants as early as next week.

These 25 states provide the most need-based financial aid. Why it matters to your school

Scholaroo's new report helps college leaders know which states prioritize remedying students' biggest concerns: college cost and financial aid. Did your state make the cut?

Your student body has fewer Pell Grant students than 10 years ago

Seven of the 10 institutions to sport the most distressing drops in Pell Grant-eligible students had a per-student endowment below $100,000, according to a new report from The New York Times.

How colleges can balance their gender parity without relying on ‘affirmative action for men’

Institutions that demonstrate gender parity have a higher likelihood to enroll more students, receive donor support and even maintain academic integrity, according to The New York Times.

These national efforts aim to close the gap in student achievement

To fend off college stop-out rates and invite more underrepresented students to enroll, non-profits are creating battle-tested blueprints to raise the bar.

These 10 college towns are the most expensive in the nation. The implications are huge

Expensive college towns drive tension and inequity between students, faculty and school leadership. But one state in particular is the main culprit.

These universities’ tuition programs aim to boost enrollment—at the expense of others

With their backs against the wall, tuition-driven colleges and universities have devised ways to attract students from far and wide by offering competitively low tuition prices.

Net good vs. bad investment: Americans are torn when it comes to higher education

New America's "Varying Degrees 2023" survey found that 70% of Americans believe higher education will improve one's financial stability, but only 59% disagree that the state of higher ed is fine as it is.

One in three grad schools leave students with more debt than when they started

The HEA Group and Student Defense found that graduate schools leave students with over $100 million more in debt than what they entered repayment with.

‘Affirmative action made us complacent’: Leaders on their back heels get real on equity

"The higher education system is broken," said Colorado College President Song Richardson at the Department of Education's summit discussing the end of affirmative action.