blog post College Enrollment Is Holding Steady among First-time Students at UC and CSU By Hans Johnson, Jacob Jackson Jun 20, 2023 Many public universities across the US have experienced declining enrollment in recent years. The University of California and California State University systems have largely bucked this trend, though pandemic disruptions and other factors raise questions about the future.
Fact Sheet Student Loan Debt in California By Jacob Jackson, Darriya Starr Jun 16, 2023 Student borrowing in California has declined markedly over the past decade. Borrowing rates vary across the state’s public and private institutions; undergraduates at public universities are least likely to borrow, while students who attend for-profit schools are more likely to struggle to pay off loans.
blog post College Gender Gap Starts Early and Extends across Races By Hans Johnson, Daniel Payares-Montoya, Marisol Cuellar Mejia May 23, 2023 Along every step of the educational pathway from 9th grade to college completion, women fare better than men. The college gender gap has far-reaching consequences for young men’s economic prospects, especially for those from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
blog post Financial Aid Applications for College Increase after New Law By Jacob Jackson May 3, 2023 Under a state law that aims to ensure graduating high school seniors seek financial aid, the number of potential first-time college students applying for assistance by the UC/CSU deadline increased 12% over the prior year.
blog post Declining Higher Education Enrollment Could Widen Inequality in California By Daniel Payares-Montoya, Tess Thorman, Joseph Herrera Mar 31, 2023 The gap between high and low incomes in California is wide and growing. Recent declines in college enrollment may make it harder for the state to address this economic divide.
blog post California’s Private Colleges Are Preparing for the End of Affirmative Action By Kevin Cook, Mary Severance Mar 23, 2023 The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling this year that declares affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional. We talked with Kristen Soares, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, about the potential impact of the court’s decision.
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.
blog post California’s Highly Educated Immigrants By Marisol Cuellar Mejia, Cesar Alesi Perez, Hans Johnson Jan 30, 2023 Recent immigrants to California are among the most educated residents of the state. More than half of the working-age immigrants who arrived over the past ten years hold a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
blog post What’s Next for Higher Education in 2023? By Olga Rodriguez, Kevin Cook Jan 11, 2023 After three years of disruption, California’s higher education institutions are ready to turn the page on the pandemic. We explore the key issues to watch this year in shrinking equity gaps, addressing enrollment concerns, and increasing college affordability and access.
blog post Improving Regional Representation among Community College Transfers By Cesar Alesi Perez, Vicki Hsieh, Hans Johnson, Marisol Cuellar Mejia Nov 29, 2022 Transferring to a four-year college is critical to improving economic mobility among underrepresented student groups—but the actual likelihood of transferring is quite low and varies widely across the state.
