WGU Labs’ Post

Report: The Biggest Barriers to Higher Ed Enrollment Are Cost and Lack of Financial Aid  U.S. adults who either stopped out, or never enrolled in a postsecondary education program, collectively cited the biggest barrier to accessing a degree or credential is the cost of college. https://lnkd.in/gKPjt2Ej (from National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)) #highereducation #financialaid #highered

Another reason to keep the Federal Government a million miles away from education. K-12 education should be locally controlled and responsive to local needs and parents, funded by local and state government. Higher education should be state and locally funded as well and responsive to the needs of the local economy and social needs. Private education should be privately funded. Time to rationalize and reground education to meet the needs of people, markets, and local communities. https://lnkd.in/guJyHQ9r

Navigating the complexities of college admissions can be daunting, especially with the significant impact financial aid policies can have on the process. For many students, financial aid is not just a financial necessity but a critical factor in their ability to access higher education. Understanding how these policies shape college admissions is essential for both students and educators. In this week's blog post for The Thursday Thinker newsletter, we explore "The Impact of Financial Aid Policies on College Admissions," and delve into how targeted financial aid programs can increase admissions among underrepresented groups and foster diversity. Learn about the transformative effects of these policies and how they can redefine higher education. This piece spotlights: - The Role of Financial Aid in College Admissions - Analyzing Financial Aid Policy Effects - Engaging in the Future of Education Read the full post on our website: https://lnkd.in/envYBBbg #AcademicResearch #HigherEducation #ScholarlyPublishing #ThursdayThinker

As promise programs and tuition-free initiatives become more popular, it's important to recognize that enrolling more students—many of whom couldn't afford college otherwise—also means many will struggle with basic needs beyond tuition. To truly support these students, enrollment efforts must be paired with robust support services and living cost stipends. Ensuring success in higher education goes beyond providing access; it requires addressing the full range of student needs and maximizing the impact of every dollar invested. https://loom.ly/02gGREg

Last night, I had to explain to our class of seniors that they will have to wait *two more months* to make a college decision. We coach our scholars to not fall in love with a school until they have a financial aid offer in hand -- that's the real ticket to college access. I'm heartbroken that this class will be rushed through their decision process because of massive, systemic failures. Colleges aren't at fault here. In fact, I feel awful for the admissions officers and financial aid counselors who are shouldering much of the anger that families have around this botched rollout. With that being said, colleges have the chance to do the right thing. May 1 deadlines have to be extended, and they have to be extended by institutions across the board. If not, I imagine three things will happen: 1️⃣ Students will commit to colleges that aren't affordable for them. They'll either melt over the summer and not make it to campus in the fall because they can't secure funding to cover their funding gap, or they'll be saddled with student debt and higher education as a tool for economic mobility goes out the window. 2️⃣ Students won't commit to college at all. I'm trying HARD to keep our scholars engaged and motivated, but there are many FGLI students who don't have a program like Green Halo Scholars to keep them focused on the end goal. If we were worried about building diverse classes in the shadow of the SCOTUS decision on race-conscious admissions, we should be terrified on the impact that this delay will have. 3️⃣ Families who can afford it will quadruple-deposit and yield models everywhere will be turned upside down...and then, when enrollment deposits go up even more, there will be one more burden for low- and middle-income families. I know that universities didn't make this mess, but pushing back May 1 deadlines could mitigate some of the long-term impacts that this will have on college-bound young people. And that's who we're all here to support, right? https://lnkd.in/gt2wjJDb

The New York Times recently provided a striking account of the U.S. Department of Education’s disastrous FAFSA rollout. One example: An email inbox containing 70,000 messages with applicant information … went unchecked until it was discovered at the last minute! If one wanted to damage American higher education, it is hard to think of a more effective way to do it. (A quip attributed to the late British historian and novelist, Robert Conquest, comes to mind: the best way to explain the actions of any bureaucracy is to assume that it is controlled by secret agents of its opponents.) In all seriousness, this is having substantial repercussions for many students, particularly those who come from poorer and first-generation college families. For many families, the cost of college is a huge, if not determinative, factor in deciding on which school to attend – or deciding to attend any school at all. So, too, is this terrible for colleges and universities, the vast number of whom are tuition-dependent (i.e., tuition revenue covers a majority of their operating costs, making them particularly sensitive to enrollment fluctuations). Schools are adapting, as they do and must, generally in two areas: (1) offering “preliminary” financial aid packages without the FAFSA information; and/or (2) delaying the traditional May 1 “decision day” deadline to June 1 or later. Neither are ideal, particularly if the institution commits to honoring its preliminary package – which means that any package “too generous” based on later-acquired FAFSA information will not be reduced and any preliminary package “too limited” based on later-acquired FAFSA information will be adjusted in the student’s favor. From the institutional perspective, this rachet effect likely will further increase discount rates (thus lessening net tuition revenues that, as noted above, are the main source of funding for most colleges and universities). Often, however, the alternatives to these pivots are much, much worse. At a time when college-going rates are dropping by historic percentages, this is an especially lousy moment to have the Department drop the ball in this fashion. Colleges and universities are sailing through serious headwinds. Families are struggling over college – or college-going – decisions. No one needed this additional obstacle, particularly right now. https://lnkd.in/dTeyeQyP

A growing body of research shows that whether a student’s basic needs are met is a strong indicator of persistence and college completion. In our own research on the impact of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) on student incomes, we found that financial aid — which was largely used for basic needs, including food, utilities, and housing — resulted in an 11% increase in graduation rates (https://lnkd.in/eETNr33d). A new policy brief by Higher Learning Advocates and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) contends that college administrators should use existing data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is completed by millions of students every year, to determine their eligibility for various support benefits and help them apply. “For example, data from the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows roughly two million of the approximately 3.3 million students who are eligible for SNAP benefits aren’t participating, which translates to $3 billion in unused benefits.” Read more via Inside Higher Ed https://lnkd.in/g9KRRAYa #fafsa #financialaid #highereducation

For millions of students across the country, the ability to afford college starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Nearly 84% of students receive some type of financial aid, and among students of color, the rates are even higher. So, it’s important to ensure that as many students as possible complete their FAFSA. The new, simplified FAFSA promised some exciting new changes that would streamline the application process. These updates are expected to help an additional 610,000 students qualify for a federal Pell Grant, and another 1.5 million students qualify for the maximum Pell award. However, there have been several delays and setbacks in the Better FAFSA’s implementation, meaning that students will receive financial aid award packages much later than in previous college application cycles, directly impacting where or if a student will enroll in college. Students will face the difficult choice of whether to submit a deposit to hold their spot without a financial aid award letter; or choose to enroll at a seemingly lower-priced institution that may lack the high-quality resources that support student retention and graduation. Some students may even delay enrollment for a year — or permanently. Every day that there is a delay or complication with the current FAFSA system increases the risk that students who want to attend and graduate from college won’t be able to do so. This is especially true for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, who must weigh their college options based on financial cost. FAFSA Advocacy Hub provides resources and materials that students, families, and advocates need to complete the Better FAFSA and ensure equitable college-going opportunities for more students. For more information, visit the FAFSA Advocacy Hub at https://lnkd.in/eh5JAGmZ

This is a very difficult year for so many families with children headed to college. The botched federal financial aid process this year has caused many students’ plans to go sideways, and has generated a lot of uncertainty where there otherwise might have been certainty about a student’s college destination. Colleges and universities all over the country have seen the effects. My university rolled out an initiative today, Operation 11th Hour, targeted at students who might be still holding out hope to start college this fall or students who had one plan for college and had a late financial aid difficulty derail it. I firmly believe we can stand in the gap for students who have difficulty with their college plans and provide them with a place where they can meet their goals. If you’re reading this and you’re not in East Tennessee or nearby, there is likely a small college or regional university near you with the same kind of focus on providing opportunities where those opportunities might have been derailed. Seek out options. If a student wants to be in college this fall, there is a way for them to seek out a home for them. But if you are in East Tennessee or nearby, and you are a student or family of a student still considering their university options, read about Operation 11th Hour below.

For millions of students across the country, the ability to afford college starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Nearly 84% of students receive some type of financial aid, and among students of color, the rates are even higher. So, it’s important to ensure that as many students as possible complete their FAFSA. However, students and families have been frustrated when what was supposed to be the Better FAFSA turned into a disaster. This new, simplified FAFSA promised some exciting new changes that would streamline the application process. These updates are expected to help an additional 610,000 students qualify for a federal Pell Grant, and another 1.5 million students qualify for the maximum Pell award. However, there have been several public delays and setbacks in the Better FAFSA’s implementation. These months-long delays mean that students will receive financial aid award packages much later than in previous college application cycles, directly impacting where or if a student will enroll in college. Students will face the difficult choice of whether to submit a deposit to hold their spot without a financial aid award letter; or choose to enroll at a seemingly lower-priced institution that may lack the high-quality resources that support student retention and graduation. Some students may even delay enrollment for a year — or permanently. Every day that there is a delay or complication with the current FAFSA system increases the risk that students who want to attend and graduate from college won’t be able to do so. This is especially true for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, who must weigh their college options based on financial cost. FAFSA Advocacy Hub provides resources and materials that students, families, and advocates need to complete the Better FAFSA and ensure equitable college-going opportunities for more students. For more information, visit the FAFSA Advocacy Hub at https://lnkd.in/eh5JAGmZ