DWD In The News
For adults returning to college, ‘free’ tuition isn’t enough
Laura Pappano
Many adults do go back, then stop out. Some even earn degrees — but leave without getting them. One big surprise at Shasta came as the college worked with Degrees When Due, a project of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, a national nonprofit group that seeks to improve higher education access and completion. Shasta conducted an audit of those who’d dropped out despite having earned all or nearly all the required number of credits. It turned out that about 35 percent of them were missing a single required computer literacy class.
These are some of the ‘open secrets’ that block college completion for many people
We’ve all heard about the hidden curriculum or the unwritten rules
that college students must navigate to earn their credentials. But what about the “open secrets” — the official policies and requirements that act as barriers to student success?
One “open secret” is the longstanding practice of withholding transcripts in exchange for past-due fees. This practice, which effectively holds student transcripts hostage, recently came under scrutiny for being unfair and inequitable. Some schools and even states are stepping in to stop this.
Transforming Yesterday’s Postsecondary System to Better Serve Today’s Students
Leanne Davis, Insights & Outlooks
“A college degree is a proven pathway to a higher median-income level and improved social mobility for students, especially those from low-income backgrounds, and for greater equity for society as a whole. Yet many students who enroll in college do not finish; across the United States, there are 36 million adults–or approximately 10% of the country’s population as a whole–who have completed some college, but did not earn a degree.”
4 Reasons Why Students Don’t Receive the Degrees They’ve Earned
“Millions of Americans have earned some college credit but no degree. Some experts think institutions of higher education—not former students—are partly to blame. Through Degrees When Due, a project of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, nearly 200 two- and four-year colleges are digging through data and auditing administrative policies to figure out how many such students they’ve lost, and why.”
Some College, No Degree Report Release Highlights
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
“The United States saw nearly one million Some College, No Degree students in just five years who, against all the odds, found their way back into postsecondary education and worked their way through to ultimately earn their first undergraduate credential. This report tells a story of success and points the way to further success.”
Read more.
Leanne Davis, ACCT Perspectives
“Earning a college degree leads to a higher median income level and improved social mobility for students, especially those from low-income backgrounds. Yet many students who enroll in college do not finish - there are nearly four million students who have completed at least two years of college coursework and yet have no degree to show for it.”
Crossing the Finish Line: Research to Re-Engage and Support Students with Some College, No Degree
Jason Taylor, Insights & Outlooks
“Millions of our nation’s students have accumulated significant college credit but have no credential to recognize their hard work. Roughly 4 million of these students are considered near-completers, meaning they have completed at least two years of coursework—often enough to earn an associate’s degree.”
