By Robert Kelchen, Associate Professor, Seton Hall University Commissioned by Higher Learning Advocates  The main reason why most students go to college is for a better future, including better labor market outcomes and higher wages. A national survey of full-time students entering four-year colleges shows that 85 percent of respondents considered getting a better job…

Access to affordable child care is crucial for families: In 2010, fewer than one-third of children had a full-time stay at home parent, and the majority of children under five received child care from someone other than a parent. At the same time, data from the 2014 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) show…

Over the past 20 years, 36 million students have enrolled in higher education but have not finished a degree. Although today’s students are completing college at higher rates than before, four out of ten students still do not earn a degree within six years. Download our new policy brief, What Works for Today’s Students—Satisfactory Academic Progress Reset,…

Today’s students are more diverse than previous generations. Twenty-four percent are parents, 37 percent are older than 25, 49 percent are financially independent, and 42 percent are students of color. About 40 percent of today’s students attend part-time. Unfortunately, the current higher education system — and the policies that govern it — can result in…

Currently, only about half of students who enroll in college graduate within eight years of beginning their studies. Microgrants can help to increase this number. Download our new policy brief, What Works for Today’s Students—Microgrants, to learn more about how microgrants are working to support today’s students, the challenges institutions encounter in funding emergency grant…

Today’s students’ loan debt totals over $1.5 trillion, and more than 1 million students default on loans each year. With this astronomical amount of student loan debt that continues to rise, students should be assured that the institutions they’re attending are providing high-quality student outcomes. Unfortunately, that is not what’s happening. Outcomes-Based Accountability: Holding Institutions…

Higher Learning Advocates is working to shift federal policy from higher education to higher learning—education and training beyond high school that leads to a degree, credential, or employment. While more students are participating in higher education than ever before, there is a vast and growing disconnect between federal policy and the needs of today’s students, employers,…

The world of credentials is much broader than a 2- or 4- year degree. One in four Americans has a non-degree credential or certificate. We invest around $150 billion in traditional higher education, but many promising new entrants, even those showing promising results, still can’t participate in federal student aid programs. Our new issue brief outlines…