Increase College Completion

The path to a quality degree or certificate starts well before college.  Far too many American students are not completing high school and those who do are not well prepared. [1] With a 61% remediation rate in the nation’s community colleges, it is clear that students are not getting the preparation they need to be successful in college-level coursework . [2] The challenges are not over once the students are enrolled in college. With a six-year completion rate of 57.5% for four-year institutions and only 27.8% completing a certificate or associate degree within 150 percent of normal time at a two-year institution, it is imperative that states focus on effective policies to increase college completion.[3]   Policymakers can focus on improvements in readiness, access, persistence, and completion.

What Can Policymakers Do?

• Increase College Readiness.   Policymakers could work with K-12, higher education and other critical stakeholders to: improve alignment between high school and college, increase rigor of the high school curriculum, align assessments, increase dual enrollment opportunities, and include college readiness in high school accountability. [4]

• Expand Access.     Access to a college education has long been at the top of the higher education policy agenda. Now, more than ever, there is a need to focus attention to those students less likely to have the academic and financial resources to consider college as an option. Assistance with completing financial aid applications, enhancing need-based financial aid programs [5]  and redesigning developmental education instruction [6] are strategies for increasing access.

• Improve Persistence Rates.   Individualized academic tracking and accelerated degree opportunities are strategies that promote student success by focusing attention on progress towards degree. [7]

• Increase Completion.   Readiness, access and persistence related policies indirectly influence completion, however, dedicated resources must also be directed to strategies specific to degree completion. [8]