Dive Brief:
- A new report about private nonprofit colleges shows only 55% of students graduate within six years, and three-quarters of the colleges studied have graduation rates of less than 67%, while other research puts the student success rates at public universities even lower.
- The New York Times reports there are policy conversations to be had about where to draw the line when it comes to graduation rates that do more harm than good — with good meaning offering opportunities to underprepared students or under-resourced students who are less likely to succeed.
- One option would be to change the Pell Grant program to target additional resources to low-income students, giving them more to help reach an equivalent outcome as their peers — something the K-12 system already does.
Dive Insight:
U.S. Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell pointed out recently that access without success is not equity. A growing number of schools have become preoccupied with making sure students succeed once they get to campus. No longer is it enough to simply offer students the opportunity; colleges are expected to make the extra effort to help them earn their diploma.
Elite, selective institutions with high graduation rates often start with students who are poised to succeed. Yet more open institutions with significant low-income populations are finding success, too. Georgia State has gotten a lot of attention for its proactive advising systems that have closed achievement gaps on its campus. Other schools are using data analytics to target high-need student populations and keep them on track. It’s possible. But it’s labor-intensive, expensive work.