Author: Educational Policy Institute

The Educational Policy Institute (EPI) is a Virginia-based, not-for-profit think tank on education and the social sciences. EPI conducts evaluation and policy studies on various educational issues from Pre-K to workforce outcomes in the United States, Canada, and beyond. Visit us at www.educationalpolicy.org.
Politics, Research/Policy, Retention, ROI/College Outcomes

Facing Global Challenges: A European University Perspective

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute I was running through some aged writings online the other day and came across a presentation I made on March 20, 2009 at the invitation of the European University Association (EUA) in one of my fav cities, Prague.  I remember the convention being one of the most organized, academic-conferences I had been to, and I was invited to … Continue reading Facing Global Challenges: A European University Perspective

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy InstituteLeave a comment
2014, Research/Policy, Retention, ROI/College Outcomes, Student Success

Four Years Later: What Happens After College Graduation?

By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute This morning I woke up to a New York Times article about an unemployed graduate of a for-profit institution. We’ve read many of these types of articles. Although they are mostly anecdotal, the sheer number of these articles, along with our unemployment data, assign more credibility to these writings. We know that … Continue reading Four Years Later: What Happens After College Graduation?

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy Institute1 Comment
2014, Financial Aid, Research/Policy, Student Success

FM and IM—You Say Potato, I like Potahto: But We Can’t Call the Whole Thing Off

By Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute A recent article published by the Chronicle of Higher Education titled “Are Poor Families Really Paying Half Their Income at Elite Colleges?,” penned by Beckie Supiano and Soo Oh, reminded me of the old Gershwin tune, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” The graphic-based brief uses data from the University of Notre … Continue reading FM and IM—You Say Potato, I like Potahto: But We Can’t Call the Whole Thing Off

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy Institute4 Comments
2014, Retention, Student Success

The College Core Curriculum: Enlightenment or Gatekeeper?

By Watson Scott Swail, Ed.D. President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute According to the Community College Research Center[1] at Teachers College, approximately 60 percent of incoming community college students are referred to at least one developmental course, and less than a quarter of students who enroll in those courses complete a degree within eight years. Many of the students who take developmental courses do so … Continue reading The College Core Curriculum: Enlightenment or Gatekeeper?

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy Institute1 Comment
2014, College Access, Retention

Do We Have it All Wrong? Where Access & Retention Collide

By Watson Scott Swail, Ed.D. President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released a report updating data on student retention and persistence. Unfortunately, the news was not good, as the fall-to-fall retention rate (e.g., freshman-to-sophomore) fell 1.2 percent between 2009 and 2012 from 69.9 to 68.7 percent. Although one percent does not sound like very much, in a national context, that … Continue reading Do We Have it All Wrong? Where Access & Retention Collide

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy Institute2 Comments