A growing body of evidence suggests that financial instability is one of the most common barriers to college completion and that, in many cases, students drop out due to relatively small, unexpected expenses. These findings have sparked interest in a promising solution: emergency aid programs. These micro-grants or short-term financial interventions are designed to help students weather temporary financial crises and stay on track to graduate. Though still limited in scope and uneven in implementation, emergency aid has the potential to deliver a high return on investment—for both students and society—by ensuring that financial setbacks do not become permanent derailments.
This report from HCM Strategists and Scholarship America explores the economic rationale for college completion, the role of emergency aid in supporting students at risk of dropping out, and the evidence surrounding the effectiveness of these programs. In doing so, it argues for a shift in policy and practice—from a focus on getting students into college to providing the support they need to successfully complete their degrees.