Category: College Access

2011, College Access, College Affordability, Financial Aid, Research/Policy

The Pell Grant and College Costs: An Impossible Scenario

By Watson Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute/EPI International There has been recent consternation on the proposed cuts to the Pell Grant program in the United States. For the uninformed, the Pell Grant is a means-tested grant program which targets low-income students. It is, to be sure, the foundation of the US student financial aid system. All other aid is applied after the … Continue reading The Pell Grant and College Costs: An Impossible Scenario

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy InstituteLeave a comment
2010, College Access, College Affordability, Financial Aid, Politics, Research/Policy

The DREAM Act and the Party of “No”

It is of better valor to stay outside of the political arguments, and I most often heed that advice. But events of last week are forcing me to reconsider said advice.

Last week, the DREAM Act was voted down in the Senate on a party-line vote. The DREAM Act allows students who are, by birth, illegal immigrants to gain access to in-state tuition and financial aid for college. As well, it allows them to fast-track for citizenship. Continue reading The DREAM Act and the Party of “No”

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy Institute1 Comment
2010, admissions, College Access, Student Success

Measuring Institutional Commitment to Serve Low-Income Families

Each year a growing level of national angst follows the publication of the USNWR rankings. Several other rankings also are published which attempt to measure various institutions, and not always in a positive light. In the future, as a result of federal legislation (HEOA 2008), there will be yet another ranking by sector referred to as “lists of shame,” which will depict the highest rankings by cost, net cost, and rate of increase in costs of postsecondary institutions. Continue reading Measuring Institutional Commitment to Serve Low-Income Families

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy InstituteLeave a comment
2010, College Access, Retention

The Winning Attitude

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute I write today’s commentary from Chicago, Illinois, where we are in the final day of our International Conference on Student Success, or RETENTION 2010. Thus, no more emails for another six months about this event. You must be relieved (Retention 101 coming up, though!). More significant, perhaps, is that our host city is in the midst … Continue reading The Winning Attitude

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy InstituteLeave a comment
2010, College Access, College Affordability

Nights in Columbus

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute This was one of those weeks. Started in Miami on Sunday morning talking with the Council on State Governments on the new US Common Core Curriculum Standards that are going through in the US. Moved on to New Orleans, where I met at the AACRAO conference to discuss higher education ranking systems, and ended up in … Continue reading Nights in Columbus

Unknown's avatarEducational Policy InstituteLeave a comment