Obtaining a college degree has never been more important for America’s young people. Now more than ever higher education is the ticket to social and economic mobility.  The opportunities of rapidly globalizing 21^st Century require more education, not less.

And while the higher education community has done a remarkable job of opening the doors of college to more and more students, we have not seen equal strides in the number of students who actually complete four-year degrees.

Too few first-time degree-seeking college freshmen, most of them full-time students, graduate from a four-year university in six years time.  The numbers are worse for students who have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education.

This page provides information on improving student outcomes in higher education, particularly for minority and low-income students.

One Step from the Finish Line: Higher College-Graduation Rates are Within Our Reach:

Explains College Results Online, guides readers on how to use it and highlights the strategies of some successful colleges and universities.

download

vvv

A Matter of Degrees: Improving Graduation Rates in Four-Year Colleges and Universities:

A new analysis reveals deep problems in the graduation rates at 4-year colleges and universities, but finds that some institutions do a much better job graduating some students than others.

download

press release

Testimony

• Testimony Of Ross Wiener, Policy Director, The Education Trust, Before The U.S. House Of Representatives Committee On Education And The Workforce on College Graduation Rates 

• Testimony of Kati Haycock, Director, The Education Trust Before the U.S. House Of Representatives Committee On Education and the Workforce Subcommittee On 21^ST Century Competitiveness

• Testimony of Kati Haycock, Director of The Education Trust, Before the National Commission on Accountability in Higher Education

[back to top]