Access to higher education is only part of the problem – keeping college students enrolled and engaged is equally important. Instituting individualized academic planning and providing accelerated degree opportunities will help promote success by leveraging an institutional culture of completion and providing flexibility.

What Can Policymakers Do?

• Assess and Expand Accelerated Baccalaureate Degree Programs . In Indiana, Manchester College’s Fast Forward program allows students to earn a baccalaureate degree in 3 years. It provides all the benefits of a four-year degree, while allowing a savings of as much as $25,000 in tuition, fees, room and board. Florida law established accelerated programs for secondary and post-secondary students. New York's City University Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) help select community college students earn associate degrees more quickly. ASAP provides student-friendly structures (e.g., block scheduling from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday to Friday, and cohorts by major) along with financial incentives (free subway passes and textbooks) to speed participants’ paths to a degree. One study found that ASAP students had three times the graduation rate of a comparison group who lacked the same supports.

• Pilot Innovative Approaches. In Florida, the State University helps keep students progressing towards their degree through the Academic Interest Mapping System . Academic progress is routinely monitored in terms of identified “milestones.”