ACCESS & SUCCESS: BENEFICIAL INVESTMENT
Economic benefits of college
Postsecondary education remains one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that society can make in its people. Read a 2006 supplement to Education Pays, released by College Board. This publication documents the benefits of higher education and provides international comparisons for college participation and success.

SUCCESS: BENEFICIAL INVESTMENT
HBCUs give communities economic boost
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) create economic benefits for their communities, according to a Department of Education review. The report finds that HBCUs would rank 232nd on the Forbes Fortune 500 list of the United States largest companies. Read the Economic Impact of the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

ACCESS & SUCCESS: POLICY
California college access and success in a state of decline, says new study
The portion of California students going to college immediately after high school dropped from 61 percent to 52 percent over the last 10 years, according to a new study, State of Decline. The Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy study reveals decreasing rates of enrolling in college directly after high school for all racial and ethnic groups. 

ACCESS: FINANCIAL AID
Selected findings released from national student-aid study
State-specific data on how students and families pay for higher education can inform state policy. The National Center for Education Statistics has just released selected findings based on the undergraduate data in the 2003-04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS).  Lumina is supporting the work of analysts in 12 states who are interpreting NPSAS data. More... 

ACCESS: INFORMATION & ENCOURAGEMENT
More students aspire to continue education 
As more students aspire to a college education, more must be done to provide access to underserved students. A U.S. Department of Education report found that the percentage of high school sophomores expecting a four-year college or postgraduate degree increased from 41 percent in 1980 to 80 percent in 2002. At the same time, those who identified English as their native language declined from 95 percent to 86 percent. More...

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SUCCESS: INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
Fixing the African-American male achievement gap
Many students who begin college drop out before completing a degree. Graduation rates are particularly low for African-American males. But members of Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) chapters are beating the odds. In the last decade, SAAB has helped 86 percent of its participants graduate from college. More...