In This Issue
·Achieving the Dream: 27 colleges enter phase two
·Private sector's crucial role in funding higher education
·Adult learners still straddle the access gap

ACCESS: COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Achieving The Dream: Realizing phase two
Community colleges are forging strategies and studying best practices in phase two of Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count. A total of 34 colleges are participating in this phase, designed to help at-risk students succeed.  More...

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
Merit-based aid outpaces growth of need-based aid
State merit-based aid increased by approximately 400 percent between 1993-94 and 2002-03, while need-based aid grew by 144 percent, according to a report by The Educational Policy Institute. The report, No Merit in these Scholarships (PDF), warns about an imbalance between the need-based and non-need-based aid.

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
Borrowers who drop out are left behind in economy
A recent study warns that college dropouts who took out loans to pay for postsecondary education are likely to face significant, detrimental and long-term financial problems. Read Borrowers Who Drop Out: A Neglected Aspect of the College Student Loan Trend.

ACCESS: UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Policy brief addresses access for undocumented students 
A growing number of undocumented immigrant students are graduating from high schools, and that development has caused many states to assess and revise their policies affecting access to and affordability of higher education.  Access to Community College for Undocumented Students examines what some states and institutions are doing to improve access for undocumented students.

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
Private scholarships: Key to college access
The private sector is a vital piece of the puzzzle when it comes to making college more affordable for low- and middle-income students, according to a recent report, Private Scholarships Count: Access to Higher Education and the Crucial Role of the Private Sector (PDF).

ADULT LEARNERS: RESEARCH
Low-income adults: Are they being served?
Colleges and universities have made considerable progress helping low-income adult students succeed in higher education, but gaps still exist. Read Improving Lives through Higher Education: Campus Programs and Policies for Low-Income Adults.  Also, learn about two policy summits for college presidents and policy-makers.

Correction
The printed version of the Winter 2005 issue of Lumina Foundation Focus magazine contained two errors.  More...

Lumina Foundation grants announced
Lumina Foundation has approved about $19 million in grants to expand college access and student success. More...