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Postsecondary Education

From community college courses to doctoral programs, postsecondary education encompasses all forms of schooling after completion of high school or its equivalent. RAND's research on postsecondary education programs and institutions throughout the world has been influential; research in Qatar, for instance, led to reform of the National University and a realignment of postsecondary education to societal needs.

Dissertation

Technological Change and the Skill Premium: 21st Century Evidence

Documents recent changes in labor outcomes by education and offer insights into the role of digitalization and its effects on labor market disparities.

Feb 9, 2021
Report

Cutting the College Price TAG: The Effects of New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant on College Persistence and Completion

RAND researchers studied more than 450,000 recipients of New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant to explore whether larger amounts of grant aid led to higher graduation rates for students at varying income levels and types of institutions.

Feb 4, 2021
Research Brief

Would Low-Income Students Graduate Faster with a Boost in Financial Aid? Results from a Natural Experiment in New Jersey

New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant—the nation's most generous state-funded grant program per state resident college student—increased the rate of on-time bachelor's degree completion at public universities for low-income students who received it.

Feb 4, 2021
Journal Article

Changing College Choices with Personalized Admissions Information at Scale: Evidence on Naviance

This paper shows how the technology Naviance, which provides low-cost personalized college admissions information to more than 40% of high schoolers, influences college choices.

Feb 3, 2021
Journal Article

The Effect of Large-scale Performance-Based Funding in Higher Education

We analyze the effect of large-scale, high-stakes performance funding programs in Ohio and Tennessee. Using a difference-in-differences identification strategy along with a synthetic control approach, we find no evidence that these programs improve key academic outcomes.

Jan 26, 2021
Report

Georgia II STEM Higher Education Interim Evaluation Report

The authors evaluate the implementation of a San Diego State University partnership with three universities in the country of Georgia, part of a U.S.-Georgia collaboration to improve university education in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Jan 5, 2021
Journal Article

What Happens When You Combine High School and College? The Impact of the Early College Model on Postsecondary Performance and Completion

What happens when you combine high school and college? The impact of the early college model on postsecondary performance and completion.

Nov 25, 2020
Blog

Schools and COVID-19, Health Care Resources, Leaving Afghanistan: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on allocating scarce but lifesaving resources during a pandemic, insights from America’s educators, the lopsided telework revolution, and more.

Nov 20, 2020
Commentary

Community College Enrollment Is Way Down. That Could Be Bad for Economic Recovery

Enrollment at America's community colleges is down by nearly 10 percent compared with before the pandemic, leaving community colleges in a perilous financial position. Without intervention, these institutions may not weather the storm.

Nov 17, 2020
Journal Article

Georgia II STEM Higher Education Evaluation Design Report (Revised)

U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation is funding a higher education partnership in the country of Georgia. This report delineates the evaluation design and approach that will be used for evaluating the successes and challenges of this effort.

Oct 19, 2020
Commentary

College Students Need Mental Health Support

Rising mental health problems in the United States have long made health advocates and providers worried about the need for additional support for struggling college students. The pandemic has only exacerbated this concern.

Oct 12, 2020
Journal Article

When Financial Aid Is Scarce: The Challenge of Allocating College Aid Where It Is Needed Most

This study estimates the effects of the Wisconsin Grant, a state-funded, need-based financial aid program for Wisconsin residents attending in-state colleges and universities.

Oct 9, 2020
Research Brief

How Can State Financial Aid Best Meet the Needs of Low-Income Students? The Wisconsin Case

The author of this brief analyzes the policy design, implementation, and outcomes of the Wisconsin Grant program.

Aug 31, 2020
Report

Need-Based Financial Aid in Wisconsin: State Policy and Student Pathways

RAND researchers analyzed the policy design, implementation, and outcomes of the Wisconsin Grant. This grant and other state programs face similar challenges using need-based grant aid to promote college attainment for low-income residents.

Aug 31, 2020
Blog

Online Shopping, Living in a Riskier World, Stress in Communities: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on Americans' online shopping habits during the pandemic, living in a riskier world, how stress builds in communities, and more.

Jul 10, 2020
Commentary

College in America Could Be Changed Forever

COVID-19 is threatening to upend the models that both public and private higher education depend on in the United States. As universities consider whether to postpone in-person classes until next year, many parents and students may be questioning the value of a traditional higher education.

Jul 7, 2020
Research Brief

How Can the United States Prepare a Workforce for Advanced Manufacturing Using Robotics?

As industrial robots become more advanced, there likely will be a shortage of technicians with the skills to work with, program, and repair them. This brief presents findings of RAND researchers' analysis of the state of training for these workers.

Jul 6, 2020
Report

An Analysis of Education and Training Programs in Advanced Manufacturing Using Robotics

As industrial robots become more advanced, there likely will be a shortage of human workers with the technical and nontechnical skills to work with, program, and repair these robots. RAND researchers assess the state of training for these workers.

Jul 6, 2020
Blog

Air Travel Data to Predict COVID Risk, Heatwave Planning, Caregiver Time Off: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on using air travel data to predict COVID risk, planning for a heat wave during the pandemic, why caregivers need time off, and more.

Jun 12, 2020
Commentary

Emergency COVID-19 Aid Helps College Students with Food and Housing

COVID-19 has expanded the pool of cash-strapped college students, but many were already struggling before the pandemic. The crisis could draw attention to food and housing insecurity among college students, and give college leaders a chance to consider how to address these needs more systematically over the long term.

May 26, 2020

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RAND Topic:
Postsecondary Education

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