Category: Research/Policy

2021, College Access, College Affordability, Financial Aid, Research/Policy

Equating an Education with the Cost of an Automobile

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist Today’s InsideHigherEd.com article, “Promoting Financial Transparency for Students,” focused on new legislation in Congress to make the cost of higher education more transparent and simpler to understand. The article quoted Laura Keane of uAspire, a non-profit, saying that “When you buy a car, you walk up to a car and you see a window sticker that … Continue reading Equating an Education with the Cost of an Automobile

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2021, Politics, Research/Policy

What to do about COVID?

And what to do about college students this fall? by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist It has been a rough year for colleges and universities throughout the US, Canada, and, well, everywhere, in fact. Last spring forced the postsecondary sector to rethink how they do their work, much in concert with their K12 brethren. However, higher education at least had the advantage … Continue reading What to do about COVID?

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2021, College Access, Research/Policy, Student Success

A Brief Primer on College Success Programs—Challenges and Successes

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist During my career, I have evaluated dozens of college access programs and worked with hundreds of practitioners on improving their programs and measuring efficacy. These programs are in operation because the academic system, from pre-K to graduate/professional school, is slanted to those who have the wherewithal, both financially and academically, to navigate elementary, secondary, and postsecondary … Continue reading A Brief Primer on College Success Programs—Challenges and Successes

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2020, College Affordability, Politics, Research/Policy, ROI/College Outcomes

Blow It Up?

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist We have a chance. COVID-19 has provided an unusual opportunity to rethink how we educate people at the postsecondary level in the United States, if not the world. Let us hope this type of opportunity does not present itself again, but over the next few years, the sheer financial weight associated with the pandemic will cripple … Continue reading Blow It Up?

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2020, Research/Policy

The Utter Ignorance of Higher Education

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist They watched. They listened. They acted. And once they understood the depths of the pandemic from the experts, college presidents at some of our finest institutions decided it was okay to open up their campuses to students. Brown University was the figurehead for opening up, stating in an open letter that they would open carefully … Continue reading The Utter Ignorance of Higher Education

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