COVID-19's Impact on FAFSA Filings: A new report details survey findings about COVID-19 impacting FAFSA filings. Researchers found that the pandemic has further exacerbated many of the challenges students face when filing for the FAFSA, especially first-generation students and low-income students. Key findings from the report include:
- Students, especially low-income and first-generation students, do not understand the FAFSA and mistakenly think they will not qualify for aid and therefore do not file.
- When filing, low-income and first-generation students face greater challenges because they are often filing alone or with little help.
- Student supports, such as counselors, teachers and employers, are harder to access due to the pandemic.
- Students with the greatest needs often have the least support to file the FAFSA in the current environment.
Understanding Student Experiences with Technology: In the fall of 2020, studies were performed to better understand students’ experiences with technology during COVID-19. The researchers found that over a third of students had difficulties finding internet connection to meet academic needs, and rural students struggled with this more than those in suburbs and cities. Also, almost half of students reported they were limited where they could access internet, with the primary location being a place of residence, and only 23 percent were able to use a public space on campus.
Measuring the Economic Impact of Higher Education: Third Way released a report which describes a new Price-to-Earnings Premium approach to measure the economic value of higher education. This method was applied to bachelor’s-degree-granting institutions, associate-degree-granting institutions and certificate-granting institutions to assess the return on investments. The authors say that this helps students and families make informed decisions on choosing a pathway, and allows them to assess whether the value of their investment in an institution is worth the cost.
Understanding the Impact of Transitioning to Online Learning: A blog from New America reported results of a survey of current, former and prospective community college students to understand the impact of transitioning to an online learning format. Key findings were:
- The majority of students had doubts about the quality of online classes.
- Most prefer to have a mix of both online and in-person classes.
- Students with previous experience in online classes felt more positive about the transition.
- For most students, there is a financial burden to maintaining internet access at home.
Declining Enrollment in Dual Enrollment Programs: During the pandemic, fewer students were in enrolled in dual enrollment courses, according to a study from The Hechinger Report. The researchers suggest that this decline could mean that fewer students go into higher education because dual enrollment offers a free or reduced cost to earning college credit. The success rate in dual enrollment courses has also dropped due students struggling with increased remote learning. Both the enrollment and success rate has disproportionately affected Black and Latino students compared to their white counterparts.
Making Dual Enrollment Programs More Equitable: Dual enrollment programs are rooted in a multitude of inequities and need to be rethought in order to expand postsecondary education to underserved students, according to a report from the Community College Research Center. The authors argue that the burden is largely placed on the student to reach out and set up dual enrollment opportunities instead of institutions actively reaching out to communities of color and underserved high schools to provide these opportunities. To overcome these obstacles, the researchers recommend that community colleges should:
- Build partnerships with K-12 districts and schools.
- Invest in coordination with schools.
- Provide student advising and wraparound supports.
- Provide program planning assistance for dual enrollment students.
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