Designing the tasks that students are required to complete in their courses has always been an essential part of what faculty do as teachers, and many faculty members work hard to shape and reshape those tasks in ways that bring out the best in students. But such work has mostly been done behind the scenes. A growing number of programs, campuses,…

We examine whether college students' persistence in finding a suitable major field of study influences the likelihood of graduation. We find that students who make an effort to select a suitable major early in their college careers graduate in a more timely fashion. Although changing majors is associated with delayed graduation, struggling…

According to national statistics, the number of Black women college graduates is 44.8% while for Black men, the national college graduate rate stand on 33.1%. The overall graduation rate of the Black population remains 57.3%. Further as the per statistics, out of 7.9% of the total Black male population in America in the age group of 18 to 24…

The national high school graduation rate reached its highest level in U.S. history--82 percent--during the 2013-14 school year (Kena et al., 2016)--but dropout remains a persistent problem in the Midwest and nationally. Early warning systems that use research-based warning signs to identify students at risk of dropping out have emerged as one…

Level 4 and 5 qualifications--including Foundation Degrees, Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (NHDs)--are an excellent route for those not interested (or not yet ready) to embark on a full degree, for mature learners who want to take only a limited amount of time out of the labour market and for employers looking to…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between state funding along with tuition and baccalaureate graduation rates as well as degrees awarded at 4-year public institutions in the State of Texas. The goal of this study was to identify possible trends which may exist regarding institutions, institutional governance structures,…

It feels like an ocean's worth of ink has been dedicated to the rising cost of college. From press coverage to the latest public opinion polls to the drumbeat of proposals for "free college," you could be forgiven for assuming that the only real problem with American higher education is the price tag. And cost is, indeed, a real issue.…

The first round of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System's (IPEDS) newest survey component, Outcome Measures (OM), was released to the public in Fall 2017. Importantly, the IPEDS OM survey begins to address some of the limitations of the prevailing Graduation Rate (GR) component data. These rates have only included…

Despite rapid job growth in the United States (U.S.) within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), historically at-risk students such as women, minorities, and first-generation college students remain underrepresented in STEM majors. As such, colleges and universities have begun developing STEM-specific interventions and…

With student loan debt reaching approximately $1.4 trillion, critics are concerned that student loans may be the next financial bubble to burst. They cite students with loans of more than $100,000 and ballooning loan default rates. They contend that borrowing for higher education may not be worth the financial risks, especially for students who…

In its strategic plan, "A Capital Commitment 2017-2022", DC Public Schools (DCPS) is committed to ensuring that all its schools provide rigorous and joyful learning experiences in a nurturing environment every day. As they strive to ensure every student feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in…

Increasing student retention (successfully finishing a particular course) and persistence (continuing through a sequence of courses or the major area of study) is currently a major challenge for universities. While students' academic and social integration into an institution seems to be vital for student retention, research into the effect of…

A vast amount of research is devoted to identifying factors that predict early school leaving. However, there is no simple explanation because the results show that young people leave education prematurely for various reasons, such as their level of school involvement, their background characteristics and different school systems. This article…

This paper highlights the innovative approach the Student Success Initiative's unit at the University of Texas at Austin is taking to increase undergraduate persistence and four-year graduation rates. Specifically, this piece explores the large-scale University Leadership Network (ULN) program and examines the tiered undergraduate peer mentor…

Parent engagement in education has been shown to have positive effects on students' academic and social/emotional success. However, much of the research has focused on younger students. Less attention has been given to parent engagement at the secondary level, especially with respect to how parents choose to engage and how adolescents perceive…