Dive Brief:
- “15 to Finish” campaigns have caught on at individual colleges and within statewide systems, and the Obama administration recently announced its support with a proposal for a Pell bonus for qualifying recipients — but the push to encourage students to take at least 15 credit hours per semester may not be good for everyone.
- Inside Higher Ed reports that some worry the push could lead to institutions or governments requiring that students take 15 credit hours to receive financial aid, a move that would overload the large portion of students who work while earning their degrees.
- While the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia found students taking at least 15 credits per semester were more likely to graduate within six years, the organization’s director of policy research and data warehousing, Tod Massa, cautions policymakers to consider additional commuting and textbook costs for the additional classes.
Dive Insight:
The Obama administration announced a pair of policy proposals relating to Pell Grants earlier this month. Besides offering a $300 bonus for students taking at least 15 credits per semester, the administration advocated the return of year-round Pell funding, which Congress and the president cut in 2011, citing its expense. Both proposals would need to be approved by the Republican-controlled Congress in an election year to take effect, which is not necessarily likely.
According to Complete College America, only 29% of community college students are taking 15 credits per semester and, at four-year institutions, the percentage only rises to 50%. Complete College America says the federal financial aid definition of “full-time” as 12 credits is damaging for students. While many educators were pleased by Obama’s latest Pell proposals, it is important for administrators and policymakers to keep all of the potential consequences of new policy in mind.