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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.

Journal Article

Patterns and Predictors of Postsecondary Re-Enrollment in the Acquisition of Stackable Credentials

This paper uses 15 years of education and employment data from Ohio to examine the predicators of student re-enrollment in postsecondary education after the completion of certificates in Ohio Technical Centers, community colleges, and universities.

Jun 4, 2021
Report

Are Income Share Agreements Fair?

Income share agreements provide access to postsecondary education for students who could not otherwise pay for school. Borrowers pay back a share of their salary when they get a well-paying job. But since ISAs are not regulated or standardized, they pose unique risks and have the potential for discrimination.

May 26, 2021
Report

Examining Career and Technical Education in National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs

The authors examined career and technical education opportunities for participants in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a residential, quasi-military program for youth ages 16-18 who are experiencing difficulty in traditional high school.

Apr 12, 2021
Report

The Credentials Students Earn Beyond a High School Diploma

Americans can pursue a variety of different types of postsecondary education credentials. These include degrees, certificates, industry certifications and licenses, and apprenticeships. Who is earning these postsecondary credentials? And how diverse are they?

Apr 12, 2021
Journal Article

Heterogeneity in the Effects of College Course Placement

To better understand which types of students might be most likely to benefit from being placed into college-level math coursework, this study examines heterogeneity in the causal effects of placement into college-level courses using administrative data from Texas.

Apr 6, 2021
Blog

Supporting Asian Americans, U.S. Gun Policy, Climate Migrants: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how to support Asian Americans, the U.S. gun policy debate, the education “arms race,” and more.

Mar 26, 2021
Report

Fortifying Education as a Pathway to the Middle Class

Education levels in the United States have been rising for 50 years, including large gains for many demographic groups. Adults with college degrees have higher incomes than their less-educated peers. But declining public support for higher education and increasing costs are making it harder to obtain degrees.

Mar 25, 2021
Research Brief

How Does Corequisite Remediation Change Student Experiences? Results from a Randomized Study in Five Texas Community Colleges

Corequisite remediation for non–college-ready students provides early opportunities to earn credit, more-intensive instruction, greater rigor, greater alignment, and increased opportunities to learn from peers.

Mar 24, 2021
Report

Student Experiences in English Corequisite Remediation Versus a Standalone Developmental Education Course: Findings from an Experimental Study in Texas Community Colleges

In this report, researchers use data from a randomized control trial at five community colleges in Texas to examine contrasts in student experiences between corequisite remediation and standalone developmental education courses.

Mar 24, 2021
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
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
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
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

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RAND Topic:
Postsecondary Education

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