Choosing a college is one of the first important decisions that many young adults undertake. Popular media suggests how students should find an appropriate college based on traditional practices (Hallet, 2008; Kulman, 2007), yet, many aspects of the reality experienced by new kinds of students and colleges is largely ignored in the college choice…

The 1990 Student Right-to-Know Act requires institutions to annually disclose graduation rates. To assist institutions in meeting this responsibility, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) has collected institutional graduation rate data since 1997. Institutions eligible for federal student aid (Title IV funding) are required…

Investing in a college education is a decision of great importance, but also great risk. The complexity of the college choice process and current trends of college graduation and loan default rates indicate that families are struggling with the decision and students are increasingly finding themselves living with the negative consequences of bad…

The bachelor's data in this focus on were all compiled from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IPEDS is the core postsecondary education data system for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. The PhD data in this focus on were all compiled from WebCASPAR, the integrated…

This study examined whether offering low-income families cash rewards for engaging in activities related to children's education, family preventive health care, and parental employment improves family and child outcomes. This quick review focuses specifically on the effects of the Opportunity NYC-Family Rewards program on children's core…

Although foster youth approaching the transition to adulthood have postsecondary educational aspirations similar to those of young people in the general population, for too many foster youth with these aspirations, a college education remains an unfulfilled dream. Previous analyses of data from the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of…

This document covers the data terms used in the Apprentices and trainees December quarter 2009 report and its associated data tables. The primary purpose of this document is to assist users of the report to understand the specific data terms used within it. Terms that appear in the report are listed in alphabetical order with the following…

This report describes the characteristics of the 100 largest public elementary and secondary school districts in the United States and its jurisdictions. These districts are defined as the 100 largest according to the size of their student population. The information in this report was provided by state education agency officials to the National…

This article discusses how a university-school district partnership improves the quality of teacher candidates and the knowledge and skills of high school graduates. Several years ago, the author was having lunch with Lynne Clark, the dean of professional studies at Western Connecticut State University, when Clark complained that too many recent…

In the last year, advocacy groups have churned out reports on how all kinds of students--those who work, are minorities, attend less-selective colleges, or come from low-income families--struggle in higher education. They have talked about the needs of the modern workforce, and how the United States is falling behind. All coalesced around the same…

The majority of research on general education assessment in recent years has focused primarily on predominately white institutions. Very little is known about general education assessment at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUS). Using descriptive analysis, this exploratory study examines the state of general education assessment at…

City University of New York's (CUNY) new community college, planned almost entirely by administrators and slated to open in 2012, seems designed to shunt its student body into narrow, mostly terminal career-technical programs with the promise of an associate's degree at the end. But to what purpose? To "reimagine community college education…

It's now nearly ten years since the author started participating in and presenting at national conferences related to strategic enrollment management (SEM). Having entered this profession with nearly 20 years of experience in transitional initiatives related to the first-year experience and academic advisement services, she has perceived an…

This article discusses how the Ron Brown Scholars program has helped many students of color persist and fit in at elite institutions. Established in 1996 to honor the memory of Ron Brown, the first Black Secretary of Commerce who died in a 1996 military plane crash in Croatia while on a trade mission to Europe, the program each year awards $40,000…

To advance to the highest level of most professional and technical careers, an individual needs more than a bachelor's degree. The post-baccalaureate degrees recognized in this edition of "Diverse"--master's, doctoral and first professional degrees--are more than just tickets to better-paying jobs. They provide the skills and credentials needed…