Resource Archive

California students now have more options to take courses offered by institutions that are geographically distant from them, expanding the course-taking landscape for students statewide. This brief explores how the growth of online course taking over the past 10 years has affected the geography of enrollment, specifically the choices students make about where they take…

More than 82 million adults 25 years old and over have never enrolled in any postsecondary education, and another 43.1 million adults have some college credits, but no credential. Black, Hispanic, and Native American adults are disproportionately represented in both of these categories. But the fundamental structures and practices of colleges were not built with…

This study sheds light on the motivations, challenges, and successes of the strategies and practices used by a set of postsecondary institutions that have enacted institutional change in support of adult learners of color.

Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates has been an important resource for policymakers, decision-makers, researchers, and planners in education and workforce development since the first edition was produced in 1979. The 11th edition includes this comprehensive report and interactive data visualizations.

This brief shares student perspectives on making application decisions, financing college, and choosing to attend their particular institution, helping leaders to understand students’ enrollment decisions and address challenges to postsecondary access.

Policymakers and educators have promoted vocational certificate programs at community colleges as an effective way to meet labor market demands and help individuals leave low-wage work.

In partnership with Lumina Foundation and Achieving the Dream, Equal Measure explored strategies that community colleges are using to support adult learners. Our vignette about the Prioritizing Adult Community College Enrollment (PACCE) initiative highlights Colorado Mountain College’s promising progress for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.

The Supreme Court's decisions on Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC represent a serious step backward in the fight for racial equity and diversity in America that will harm all students and have serious repercussions.

This brief offers college leaders and admissions officials clear recommendations to ensure that their campus admissions are fair by rethinking recruitment strategies and demonstrated interest practices, and eliminating early decision and legacy admission.

This brief discusses the equity implications of requiring college applicants to submit an SAT or ACT score as part of their application for admission, considerations for college leaders examining test-optional polices, and ways in which test-free policies may address equity concerns related to standardized tests in college admissions. The brief concludes with recommendations for college…

This brief is focused on holistic review, a strategy in college admissions that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside a range of indicators that include grades, extra curriculars, environmental context, among other factors. For admissions officers and college leaders, it is a powerful tool and a fairer and more thoughtful approach to reviewing student applications…

The Supreme Court's decisions on Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC represent a serious step backward in the fight for racial equity and diversity in America that will harm all students and have serious repercussions.

Decades-long data show a persistent and troubling trend in higher education: Black student enrollments in U.S. postsecondary education have been declining precipitously since 2011, particularly at community colleges.

Data that identifies adult learners’ expressions of intention to enroll in college or training programs can help institutions and organizations more actively target, recruit, and support those learners who are most likely to enroll.

This infographic illustrates changes in student enrollment and persistence in the first 18 months of the pandemic.

While overall enrollment in postsecondary education has been declining over the past decade, the pandemic appears to have exacerbated this trend, especially at community colleges and among nontraditional students. Enrollment across all sectors has dropped from just over 17 million students in spring 2020 to just under 16 million in spring 2022.

Nearly three-quarters of surveyed returning adults had completed a postsecondary credential, illustrating that these students can persevere to completion given sufficient time and support.

Higher education enrollment fell a further 2.7 percent in the fall of 2021 following a 2.5 percent drop in the preceding fall. Continued enrollment losses in the pandemic represent a total two-year decline of 5.1 percent or 938,000 students since fall 2019.

Many states are working to increase college attainment among their residents, and for good reason: College degrees create significant economic opportunity for degree-holders and their communities. But reaching these attainment goals will be impossible if states focus only on recent high school graduates. Increasing attainment among adults is essential as well.

In order to meet the growing demand for college-educated workers, many states are engaging in policy efforts to re-enroll adults with prior college experience and support them to degree completion. One such effort is Tennessee Reconnect (TNR), a last-dollar grant program launched in Fall 2018. TNR is available to eligible adult students who are enrolled…