April 2024 - Impact of Transcript Hold Bans Survey Update, Study Examines Student-Loan Default, and 12-Year Study Examines College Completion

April, 2024 Eye on Research

Commentary

It appears credit for prior learning (CPL) is a popular topic being addressed by higher education once again. Some initiatives AACRAO has seen include the University of Akron’s prior-learning initiative aimed at adult learners. The University of North Carolina system launched an online tool called the Military Equivalency System; it matches military training and experience with courses at 16 institutions. Front Range Community College in Colorado has a grant-funded program that allows some learners to receive CPL at no cost. The 2023 Delaware Credit for Prior Learning Policy Framework provides guidelines to institutions for expanding CPL pathways for learners. The City University of New York School of Professional Studies has an online tool to help learners identify workplace, military and volunteer experiences that may qualify for CPL.

AACRAO is currently in the process of analyzing the 2024 CPL benchmarking data. In the future, we hope to engage with learners to understand their perspective on CPL, as we did in the partnership with WICHE in 2019.

AACRAO Research Update

Informational and Level-of-Interest Gathering Virtual Roundtable
AACRAO Research held a roundtable discussion at the conference in early April 2024.  Out of that discussion came an idea to measure interest from our membership in two areas. The first idea relates to serving as a volunteer for a 2-3 year commitment to test comprehensive surveys before they go out, with some type of incentivization for doing so. 

The second is the suggestion that once a year a set group of institutions works with AACRAO to create and send out a survey to learners that aligns with a key initiative.  We have found having a learner perspective on key issues is enlightening and useful addition to institutional benchmark data. 

AACRAO worked with WICHE on their recognition of learning initiatives and was able to pair institutional benchmark data with learner perceptions. AACRAO also partnered with ACE for their National Task Force on the Transfer and Award of Credit paring benchmarking and learner perceptions. Finally, we partnered with the University of Arizona to examine factors that influence the number of excess credits at graduation and spoke with learners about their experiences. 

Because we are about to release the CPL institutional benchmark, we believe this year is an ideal time to redeploy the learner-perceptions-of-CPL survey we used with WICHE to discover whether the learner experience has changed since 2019. Having institutional partners share this survey with their learners would be ideal.  

One or more 1-hour roundtable discussions will be held this summer to solidify these ideas. The date is to be determined. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, please complete this form by May 30 EOD Eastern time to express your interest. Depending on the number of volunteers, we may need to limit the size of the roundtables. If selected, you will be contacted as the details for the date(s), and time(s) are finalized.  

A Call for Volunteers

Delaware Valley University Survey on Enrollment-Management-Research Interests
We (Delaware Valley University) invite enrollment-management professionals to help identify topics to research that are pertinent to graduate-enrollment management (GEM). You can participate in this study by completing an online survey that takes 15-20 minutes to complete. You can choose not to answer any question you choose. Please contact Dr. Joseph Paris, Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Delaware Valley University with any questions regarding this study. joseph.paris@delval.edu or 215-489-4796. 

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Current Higher-Education Research and Related Topics

Study Examines Student-Loan Default
According to a 2021 Pew Charitable Trusts survey, one-third of federal-student-loan borrowers have experienced student-loan default in the past 20 years. It is critical to understand the demographics and personal attributes that predispose some borrowers to experience repayment difficulties. Although it merely approximates the chance of default, the data sheds light on the prevalence of default across demographic, financial and academic variables.

Learner-Driven Research Examines Learner Challenges and Supports
The Partnership for College Completion collaborated with its Student Advisory Council to conduct learner-led interviews to inform policy and practice. They have recently released the report. They used a participatory-action approach, with learners as co investigators. They also created a limited-series podcast based on learner interviews to communicate their perspectives. The report elucidates emerging themes and policy recommendations. Figure 1.

 

Figure 1: Emerging Themes

Source: “What We Need to Succeed,” January 24, 2024. https://partnershipfcc.org/publications/what-we-need-to-succeed/.

 

Report Evaluates How States Connect Higher Education and Employment Opportunities
The State Opportunity Index from Strada Education Foundation seeks to improve the relationship between higher education and employment opportunities for learners and employers. An executive summary is also available. The report evaluates how states use post high-school education to improve labor competitiveness and enhance routes to opportunity, guiding progress in five areas.  The five areas include:

• clear outcomes

• quality coaching

• affordability

• work-based learning

• employer alignment

Paper Examines Challenges Faced by Community-College Learners
A new working paper from Columbia University’s Community College Research Center explores the correlation between academic persistence, time utilization, campus-resource engagement and financial and mental well-being among community-college learners. The study examines the importance of each element in relation to the quality of education provided to these learners. The report identifies mental-health challenges as the most significant predictor of learners not persisting.

Article Looks at How Out-of-State Learners Choose Institutions
An article in Encoura focuses on the “decision endgame” of learners at out-of-state institutions. It examines “stated” (conscious) and “derived” (unconscious) importance based on survey answers. Figure 2. The article also includes strategies for public and private institutions to engage with, and attract, learners.

Figure 2:  Stated vs. Derived Importance of Enrollment Drivers



Source: Encoura, Kim Reid Eduventures Principal Analyst At, and Kim Reid Eduventures Principal Analyst At Encoura. “Decision Drivers For Out-Of-State Students.” Welcome to Encoura, April 1, 2024. https://encoura.org/decision-drivers-for-out-of-state-students/. 

Survey Report Focuses on Interplay Between Continuing Education and Traditional Institutions of Higher Education
The 2024 State of Continuing Education (download required) study was conducted by The EvoLLLution and UPCEA, in partnership with CAUCE and Modern Campus. The survey examines institutions' online and professional-continuing-education units, their support capabilities and their integration within an institution. It found a significant percentage of respondents are dissatisfied with institutional-leadership efforts. Addressing these issues can lead to more collaboration, development of a shared commitment to modernization and innovation, and enhancement of institutional impact and sustainability. This research is relevant as many institutions explore expanding the use of microcredentials.

New Data from National Student Clearinghouse Shows Most Graduation Declines Continue
The Undergraduate Degree Earners Report is a comprehensive report on learners who graduated with an undergraduate-level credential, including certificates, associate and bachelor's degrees. The National Student Clearinghouse has examined changes in student demographics, major fields and credentials since the 2013-14 academic year. This latest report examines data from the 2022-2023 academic year. The report is presented as an interactive data dashboard.
Key points include:

• the number of undergraduate degrees earned fell for the second year (-2.8%)

• more learners earned a certificate in 2022-2023 than in any of the previous 10 years (+6.2%)

• the growth in certificate earners is learners earning their first-ever award

• the private for-profit 4-year sector was the only one to show growth among first-time completers 

Survey Examines How Recent Graduates Feel Education Prepared Them 
The online education platform Quizlet released results of a poll assessing learners' readiness for the real world and classes they desired that were not offered. The survey assessed the confidence and proficiency of recent college and high-school graduates in fundamental living skills, such as cooking, auto repair and personal financial planning.
Key points include:

• about 33% of recent graduates are unsure if they have basic financial and life skills

• 68% believe nonacademic courses may better prepare learners for real-world scenarios

• 79% of recent graduates find financial planning overwhelming; 29% state this negatively impacts their mental health

12-Year Study Examines College Completion
This study follows a representative sample of U.S. learners who were ninth-graders in 2009. The study followed their journey from high school through postsecondary education and entry into the workforce. Data was collected 8 years after the subjects’ high-school graduation. It examines enrollment characteristics, degree completion and financial-aid awards for these learners. Results include the following:

• 74% enrolled in some form of postsecondary education by 2021

• 40% who enrolled in higher education had not completed a credential by 2021

• the average total amount awarded for federal student loans for undergraduate studies was $17,900

 

New Research Focuses on How Institutions Display Costs to Prospective Learners
A new paper from the Brookings Institution explores the evolution of college costs since the mid-1990s, focusing on learners attending 4-year universities. These learners represent about 60% of full-time enrolled learners and 40% of roughly 9 million dependent (those with family financial support) college learners. While costs are being displayed using a “sticker price” by some institutions, questions have been raised about the efficacy of this practice. Many learners receive financial aid from federal and state governments and private nonprofit organizations, making the true costs less clear. The paper also examines price discrepancies between public and private organizations.