What do recent trends toward increasingly ambitious educational expectations and rising college completion rates mean for the stratification of higher education? This article shows that the odds of achieving expectations for a bachelor's degree increased across 15 cohorts of young adults, and to a lesser extent, for expectations to attend…

The rate of doctoral degree completion, compared to all other degrees, is the lowest in the academy, with only 57 percent of doctoral students completing their degree within a ten-year period. In the science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM) fields, 62 percent of the male students complete their doctoral degree in ten years, which is better than…

This 5-year longitudinal randomized study focused on the effects of a dropout prevention program implemented at two urban high schools. The program incorporated the characteristics of personalization found in previous research to have some positive effects, and typical of the type of programs implemented in many high schools nationwide. The…

Middle-to-high school transition activities improve retention and graduation rates, reduce academic challenges, and support student social development. The purpose of this study was to investigate ninth-grade algebra I and literature/composition end-of-course test performance, attendance, and discipline in relationship to transition strategies…

This First Look report presents findings from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) spring 2008 data collection, which included four components: Student Financial Aid for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2007-08 academic year; Enrollment for fall 2007; Graduation Rates for…

The study examined whether taking Advanced Placement Program[R] (AP) courses and exams in high school improves student college performance. The study included students who graduated from Texas public high schools between 1998 and 2002 and then went on to attend a Texas public college or university. Data on students' college grade point average…

This report presents data and analysis about students admitted to Simon Fraser University (SFU) who have BC College experience in the period 2003/04 to 2007/08. The first and second sections of the report focus on the profile of students admitted to SFU on the basis of BC College transfer including number of credits transferred, institution…

In 2005, all 50 state governors made an unprecedented commitment to voluntarily implement a common, more reliable formula for calculating their states' high school graduation rates by signing the National Governors Association (NGA) Graduation Counts Compact. Four years later, progress is steady. Twenty states now report that they use the Compact…

During the last two decades, median instructional spending per full-time equivalent (FTE) student at American 4-year colleges and universities has grown at a slower rate than median spending per FTE student in a number of other expenditure categories including academic support, student services and research. Our paper uses institutional level…

Nevada's rate of default on college loans is among the highest in the nation. At the time of this study, there were no research studies on defaulters in the state of Nevada. The present study was designed for initial exploration regarding the relationship between various kinds of student factors and default rates from institutions at the Nevada…

State Compensatory Education is a supplemental program in Texas designed to eliminate disparities in (a) student performance on assessment instruments administered under chapter 39 of the Texas Education Code (1995, amended 2007), and (b) the rates of high school completion between students who are at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by…

School administrators and teachers are often implicated, when the topic of dropouts and low graduation rates arises, for their alleged failure to make schools effectively engaging for students and their families. However, this may be simplifying a situation that is comprised of many complexities. Even an amply inspiring school program may not…

In an effort to reduce failure and attrition rates to increase on-time program completion and graduation rates, many schools are adopting a policy of assigning minimum grades. While justifications supporting the policy are often mathematical in nature, some proponents also claim the practice works to keep students motivated, hopeful, confident and…

Documenting student outcomes is a priority for higher education institutions. Federally-mandated graduation rates are often used as the sole measure of student success. However, this measure fails to document outcomes for students with multiple educational objectives and career paths. Driven by this challenge, the City Colleges of Chicago…

By explicitly naming education as one of three top priority areas in his first joint congressional address and in his first federal budget proposal, President Barack Obama is putting considerable political weight--and even more money--behind the agenda he laid out during his campaign. Certain themes he struck in the February 24…