This journal article provides a review of causes and policy solutions of two equity problems: (a) Too many college students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the United States do not complete their coursework with any college credential, whereas others earn degrees or certificates with little labor market value; and (b) many of these students also struggle to pay for college, and some incur debts that they have difficulty repaying. Solutions include those focused on both individual students and institutional reform.

This journal article discusses a study that investigated the effect of the expanded availability of online curricula on persistence in the field and toward a degree. The findings suggest that for the average person, taking an online course has a negative effect on the probability of taking another course in the same field and on the probability of earning a degree.

This journal article investigates the research and policy implications of test optional practices, considering both sides of the debate. Drawing on the expertise of higher education researchers, admissions officers, enrollment managers, and policy professionals, it provides a much-needed evaluation of the use and value of standardized admissions tests in an era of widespread grade inflation.

This journal article examines the impact of interracial and interethnic dialogue, a model of intergroup contact that highlights the salience of racial and ethnic group membership, to improve intergroup relationships on college campuses. A field experiment involving 737 participants demonstrated that participants randomized to enroll in an intergroup dialogue course increased thinking about and understanding of race and racial/ethnic group membership more than the control group participants who were wait-listed for the course.

This journal article discusses a study in which researchers used a quasiexperimental design to evaluate a low-intensity intervention aimed at preventing dating violence among college students. The integrated behavioral model was used to guide the evaluation. The results suggest that low-resource interventions have a modest effect on increasing bystander behaviors.

This journal article discusses a study investigating the short- and longterm impacts of "GO Centers," a student-run, college information program that provides information about all aspects of the college-going process to academically prepared Texas public school students on the margin of attending college. The results indicate that GO Centers led to a large increase in college application rates and a small increase in college enrollment rates but no increase in college completion rates.

This journal article discusses a study investigating whether college readiness improved among high school students affected by the early stages of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation and whether students from different backgrounds and types of high schools were affected differently. In the case of the CCSS transition in Kentucky, the findings suggest that students continued to improve their college readiness, as measured by ACT scores, during the early stages of CCSS implementation. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the positive gains students that made during this period accrue to students in both high- and low-poverty schools.

In this journal article, researchers estimate the effects of Washington’s College Bound Scholarship program on students’ high school grades, high school graduation, juvenile detention and rehabilitation, and incarceration in state prison during high school or early adulthood. The findings indicate insignificant and substantively small or negative effects on these outcomes, calling into question the rationale for such early commitment programs.