Worth Checking Out
Current Higher Education Status of Latinos Explored
A new interactive, research-based website from Lumina Foundation offers key data from published studies on Latino students and the factors affecting their educational experiences. Among the topics explored by Camino de la Universidad: The Road to College for Latinos: access, enrollment, degree attainment financial aid, aspirations, dropout rates, mentoring, and more.
The More You Learn, the More You Earn
The results of a survey by the College Board confirm the value of higher education, both in terms of monetary and non-monetary benefits. Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society (PDF, 360KB) offers new insight about the benefits of attaining a college degree.
The College Board also released its annual Trends in College Pricing 2007 (PDF, 548KB) and Trends in Student Aid 2007 (PDF, 1.26MB). Among the findings: In 2006–07, the estimated growth in student borrowing slowed, while borrowing from private sources continued to increase as a share of education loans but grew more slowly in 2006–07 as federal PLUS loans became available to graduate students.
Latino High School Graduates Gaining Ground Academically
A new report, State of College Readiness for Latino Students (PDF, 430KB), reports that ACT-tested Latino high school graduates from the class of 2006 were better prepared for college-level coursework and workforce training than those who graduated in 2002. Improvements appear to be associated with the fact that more Latino students are taking challenging coursework. The report offers several recommendations to continue college readiness of Latino students, including encouraging more Latino students to take the core curriculum and higher-level coursework in high school, especially in mathematics and science.
New Survey Suggests Continued Growth in International Student Enrollment at U.S. Colleges and Universities
According to about 700 U.S. campuses responding to a joint survey conducted by eight leading higher education associations, new enrollments of international students increased in fall 2007 at 55% of responding member campuses. Among responding institutions with the largest foreign enrollments — 93 U.S. campuses that each host more than 1,000 international students — more than three-quarters (79%) of the respondents reported increases in new enrollments, while only 9% reported declines, according to the survey, building on last year’s survey findings, where 73% reported increases.
A Nation at Risk
A new report from Educational Testing Service suggests that the United States may be putting itself at social and economic risk because of current achievement gaps. America’s Perfect Storm: Three Forces Changing Our Nation’s Future (PDF, 2.26MB) recommends that policymakers and others invest in reform policies that narrow the literacy gap, raise learning levels, and increase reading and math skills.
The Influence of State Grant Aid
A report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education offers information for policy leaders and others on the impact of selected state financial aid programs on students’ higher education choices. State Grant Aid and Its Effects on Students' College Choices (PDF, 472KB) explores grant aid programs in 11 states, providing information on the qualifications for eligibility and the policy environments involved in creating them.
