Concerns about the cost of college—and the debt students are taking on to finance their education—are pushing questions of value into the public spotlight. Explore recent headlines and various perspectives on the issue.
A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research traces the economic outcomes of students in Georgia after receiving a four-year degree. They found that this access to higher education improved students’ income at age 30 by 20 percent.
This New York Times article considers how the pandemic may affect the future of accessibility in higher education. States are projected to see a 20 percent decline in revenues for the next fiscal year due to the economic contraction caused by COVID-19, which could result in states cutting spending on higher education. To offset these budget cuts, public institutions may rely on further increasing tuition and fees, which could result in the privatization of public higher education.
This blog post discusses how the structure of the internship industry makes it more challenging for underrepresented students to participate in internship experiences.
This National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report studies the academic progress (retention, persistence, transfer, completion, and stop-out rates) of first-time degree-seeking college students in the fall 2013 cohort.
The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce released a list outlining the best and worst colleges for return on investment. This list, which is based of 2019 research, found colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees have the best long-term investment, but community colleges and certificate programs have the best short-term return.
Limited access to broadband and internet has presented challenges for both institutions and students as classes move online, particularly at tribal colleges and among underrepresented students.
This report from MDRC examines best practices and barriers for how community colleges are promoting economic mobility in career and technical education (CTE).
This report from Just Equations examines student experiences within California community colleges and the California State University in navigating new math pathway strategies (e.g., corequisite courses, multiple measures for placement, and diversified math pathways) to understand their effectiveness in improving equity in math education outcomes.
Postsecondary Value Commission member Anthony P. Carnevale writes that while changes to the way higher education institutions operate may be necessary, the value of a college degree in the workplace is without question and is supported by recent research.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation created a tool to determine if colleges and programs have justified earnings in comparison to student debt. This tool found that just 73% of students at public colleges are enrolled in programs that pass this test.
In addition to support overcoming skills gaps and gaining access to internships and mentors, Aimee Eubanks-Davis argues that publicly available data on employment status and earnings by school and course of study could help more low-income students succeed in college.
Two recent polls found that young Americans don’t see a college degree as critical to career success and nearly half of young people ages 13 to 29 surveyed said a high school diploma alone is sufficient. Postsecondary Value Commission Managing Director Michelle Asha Cooper notes that with increasing concerns about affordability and student debt, the commission aims to define how various kinds of postsecondary education pay off to help students and families evaluate their choices
The Postsecondary Value Commission held its second of four meetings at California State University, Fullerton, where the commission heard from local students, alumni and employers. CSUF, where commission member Mildred Garcia previously served as president, has seen important gains in the past decade including rising graduation rates and shrinking achievement and opportunity gaps for transfer students. Note: This story may require a subscription to view.
For most students, a bachelor’s degree is a wise financial investment, but weighing the costs against the expected labor market outcomes is a worthwhile exercise. Postsecondary Value Commission members Anthony Carnevale and Luis Talavera share their insights and a good resource for prospective college students in this article.
Some of the most common misconceptions about debt include the idea that students can pay their way through college by working and that a college degree isn’t worth the debt.