Access to Higher Education

National Conversation Initiative
A framework of integrated recommendations for remaking the student aid system so it is more effective and efficient. The report is an outcome of an exhaustive year-long national dialogue for building consensus, support, and enactment of reforms needed to eliminate major obstacles to college access, namely the financial barriers for low- and moderate-income students.

Institutional Grants and Degree Attainment
Few studies have examined the effects of institutional grants on student persistence. This report explores the linkages between the receipt of institutional need- and merit-based grants in the first year of college and degree completion within six years. Results indicate that institutional grant aid is a positive predictor of graduating within six years, after controlling for student characteristics and institutional selectivity level.
College Access, Financial Aid, and College Success for Undergraduates from Foster Care
Youth and adolescents who spend time in foster care are much less likely to enroll in postsecondary education institutions, and those who are able to attend are less likely than other types of undergraduates to persist and attain a bachelor’s degree or certificate - even though they are more likely to receive financial aid. Here are 17 ways that colleges, states, and federal programs can change that.

National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators