inequality – Page 4 – SARA GOLDRICK-RAB

From the (Academic) middle to the top: an evaluation of the AVID/TOPS college access program (2018)

Despite overall increases in college-going, college enrollment rates
remain inequitable. Many programs attempt to address these persistent racial/ethnic and social class disparities in college attendance by
intervening in the high school curriculum. Advancement Via
Individual Determination (AVID) is among the longest standing and
prevalent of these college access programs. In this paper, we present
findings from a multi-year evaluation and cost analysis of the AVID/
TOPS program – an enhanced AVID model – in place in Madison
Metropolitan School District (Wisconsin). Taken together, the evaluation’s findings characterize AVID/TOPS as a promising program
model that is associated with an increased likelihood for college
readiness and matriculation, particularly for student groups underrepresented in higher education. We also report on the resources and
costs required to implement the program, and show that the program’s benefits appear to exceed its costs.

On Second Chances and Stratification: How Sociologists Think About Community Colleges (2014)

Community colleges increase college access, extending postsecondary educational opportunities to underserved students, yet, these students exhibit low rates of program completion and transfer to 4-year colleges. Sociological research on community colleges focuses on the tension between increasing educational opportunity and failing to improve equity in college completion across key demographics, such as race and socioeconomic status. This article provides an overview of sociology’s approach to understanding community colleges. We describe sociological theories, examine the contributions they make to the field, and discuss the discipline’s recent debates regarding community colleges. We conclude by highlighting research areas for further progress and discussing the role sociology could play in transforming community colleges.

The Costs of College Attendance: Examining Variation and Consistency in Institutional Living Cost Allowances (2017)

Discussions of college costs often focus on tuition and fees, but living cost allowances for room, board, and other expenses account for more than half of the total cost of attending college. The allowances, developed by colleges and universities, also affect student eligibility for federal financial aid and the accuracy of accountability systems. This study examined institutional variation in living cost allowances and assessed the consistency of allowances by comparing them to living cost estimates specific to the college’s region. Results across multiple specifications indicated that nearly half of all colleges provide living-cost allowances at least 20% above or below estimated county-level living expenses.

Making Sense of Transitions: An Examination of Transfer among Economically Disadvantaged Undergraduates (2015)

At least one in three undergraduates attends more than one college, but we know little about how
students decide to transfer. Most studies about transfer are retrospective, quantitative, and/or
restricted to students who complete a transfer, thus missing the process through which students
reach transfer decisions. In contrast, this mixed methods, longitudinal study prospectively
examines a cohort of students across multiple colleges and universities over time. Based on data
from more than 200 interviews with 50 students from low-income Wisconsin families, we find
that about half of students consider transferring, but a substantial percentage ultimately decide to
persist at their initial institution. Other studies have ignored the deliberation process—and
existence—of this group. For all students who consider transfer, we illuminate a process of
discussion and reflection that is shaped by social class and social capital.

Financial Aid Nudges: A National Experiment With Informational Interventions (2022)

Despite high prices, many college students do not re-file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or file late, making college less affordable. Low-cost technological interventions delivering personalized information and/or advising may improve refiling and academic outcomes, but questions remain regarding the efficacy of this approach at scale. This multi-pronged randomized experiment tested informational and framing text message interventions for a national sample of approximately 10,000 undergraduates. The text outreach caused earlier FAFSA re-filing for some students. However, gains in re-filing during the active intervention period were not sustained after the intervention concluded and did not translate into additional federal financial aid or improved postsecondary persistence or attainment. Implications for the scaling and targeting of nudging are discussed.

Self-reported COVID-19 infection and implications for mental health and food insecurity among American college students (2022)

While the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health and increased food insecurity across the general population, less is known about the virus’s impact on college students. A fall 2020 survey of more than 100,000 students at 202 colleges and universities in 42 states reveals sociodemographic variation in self-reported infections, as well as associations between self-reported infection and food insecurity and mental health. We find that 7% of students self-reported a COVID-19 infection, with sizable differences by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parenting status, and student athlete status. Students who self-reported COVID-19 infections were more likely to experience food insecurity, anxiety, and depression. Implications for higher education institutions, policy makers, and students are discussed.

Market Rhetoric versus Reality in Policy and Practice: The Workforce Investment Act and Access to Community College Education and Training (2003)

This article examines the impact of the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 on access to community
college education and training. The market-oriented,
customer-focused rhetoric of WIA is compared to the
realities of WIA implementation in three states: Rhode
Island, Illinois, and Florida. The authors first discuss the
emergence of WIA in the context of recent marketdriven
pressures on community colleges. Next, they provide
an overview of the relevant components of WIA.
Finally, they examine how the implementation and practice
of WIA affects the ability of low-income populations
to obtain postsecondary education. They find that WIA’s
rhetoric, intended to promote educational quality and
increase customer choice, is not reflected in either formal
policy or implementation. Important policy elements
such as accountability measures and the focus on
multiple customers have undercut the rhetoric of free
choice. Thus, in practice, WIA has actually limited
access to education and training at community colleges.

Students Are Humans First: Advancing Basic Needs Security in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2022)

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly exacerbated the challenging situation facing many students in colleges and universities in the United States. To promote student success and address equity issues in higher education, there is an urgent need to treat students as humans first and attend to their basic needs. In this essay, I present evidence pointing to the fact that the pandemic has made student basic needs insecurity even worse. However, well designed and successfully implemented emergency aid programs and other innovative interventions with equity at the center can help address problems in student basic needs insecurity. I present successful examples in addressing student basic needs insecurity and call for sustained and bold actions.