blog post Free University Tuition: How Many California Students Would Benefit? By Jacob Jackson Sep 1, 2016 Hillary Clinton has proposed free university tuition for students whose families earn less than $85,000. How many California students might benefit from such a plan?
blog post A New UC Tuition Policy Could Provide Predictability, but at a Cost By Jacob Jackson, Idalys Perez Jul 21, 2021
Report Higher Education in California: Student Costs By Jacob Jackson Nov 12, 2014 Increases in tuition across California’s public four-year universities have heightened concerns about the affordability of a college education, especially for those with the lowest incomes. In-state full tuition at the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) has risen more dramatically than at other public universities in other states over the past decade. During this same period, the federal, state, and institutional grant and scholarship programs that help make college affordable for students from lower- and middle-income families expanded. This helped lower-income families keep up with rising tuition, but the full price of college beyond tuition can still be a relatively large share of their income. Given the importance of higher education to California’s economic future, policymakers at the federal, state, and institutional levels need to make a continuing commitment to keep college affordable for students from low- and middle-income families. Also, given current tuition levels, it is more important than ever for the state to ensure that all students fill out financial aid forms and can easily access tools that can help them understand the financial aid packages they are offered.
Explainer Is College Worth It? By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson Mar 8, 2023 Rising college costs and a reluctance to take on debt lead many students and families to wonder if college will actually yield a brighter future with higher earnings and better jobs. In this explainer, we explore whether the benefits of a college degree outweigh the costs.
Report Higher Education in California: Making College Affordable By Hans Johnson, Jacob Jackson, Courtney Lee Oct 1, 2019 After doubling during the Great Recession, tuition at California’s public universities has leveled off. However, non-tuition costs are significant, especially for students from low-income families. State financial aid programs focus mostly on tuition, so students must cover costs that add up to thousands of dollars.
blog post Covering the Real Costs of College By Kevin Cook Dec 11, 2019 With many students struggling to afford California’s high cost of living, state policymakers have sought to reform financial aid programs to address the full cost of attending college.
blog post California’s Dream Act By Jacob Jackson Sep 11, 2017 As the federal government moves to end the DACA program, California is continuing to support the higher education aspirations of undocumented students.