Improving college access – and student success

A series of five briefs by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) examines a broad range of policies that states can implement to improve college access and enhance success for low-income, minority and first-generation students.

Raising Awareness: College Planning Strategies. Research indicates that college planning should begin during the middle-school years. This brief identifies information-dissemination and student-support services as two strategies for raising awareness about early college planning. The Internet, text messaging and social networks are methods that states can use to disseminate information. Because information alone is insufficient, support services, such as counseling staff and college-preparation programs, are important to provide students with college planning guidance.

Increasing College and Workforce Readiness. Many high school graduates are not academically prepared for higher education. In 2004, 34% of undergraduates in public institutions enrolled in at least one remedial class. As described in this brief, strategies undertaken by states to improve readiness include aligning high school standards with college requirements, setting rigorous graduation requirements, administering assessments to evaluate college readiness and incorporating college and career readiness indicators into school accountability systems.

Improving College Affordability for Underrepresented Students: Financial Aid Strategies. The brief focuses on strategies states have employed to increase financial aid for underrepresented students. These strategies include early commitment programs and partnerships with private donors or foundations to provide scholarship and financial aid assistance.

Engaging Students Academically and Socially: College Success Strategies. According to the brief, 25 percent of students who enroll in four-year colleges and half of those at two-year colleges do not continue to their second year on campus. Colleges can use orientation programs, first-year seminars, learning communities and redesigned introductory courses to retain first-year students. Beyond the first year, student support services, such as early warning systems and opportunities for faculty-guided research, service learning courses and internships help students remain in and graduate from college.

What You Need to Know About Minority-Serving Institutions. Minority-serving institutions face challenges in terms of resources and recruiting and retaining faculty. Because their enrollment continues to grow, states need to consider how to support these institutions. This brief identifies partnerships with majority institutions as a strategy for resource-limited minority-serving institutions.

The series of briefs is available as a single report for purchase from NCSL. Click here.

– Debra Judy