Initial Topic Idea - Rushil Patel

Akers, Beth, and Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. “A New Approach for Curbing College Tuition Inflation. Report.” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, 1 Aug. 2020. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED608414&site=ehost-live. Blagg, Kristin, et al. “Evaluating the Return on Investment in Higher Education: An Assessment of Individual- and State-Level Returns.” Urban Institute, Urban Institute, 1 Sept. 2018. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED592627&site=ehost-live. Payne, Jonathan, and JFF (Jobs for the Future). “The Next-Gen IMT Apprenticeship: A Return on Investment Study.” Jobs for the Future, Jobs for the Future, 1 July 2020. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED607764&site=ehost-live. Is college worth it? (2020, May 30). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2011/0...

Topic:  Every year college seems to become more expensive in its year to year cost. With increasing costs, going to college comes with additional stress that is placed on students and parents across the nation. Students will have to decide whether they decide on taking the risk of attending college despite the increasing costs that it presents. With increasing costs of college, students will have to look in other locations to gain financial support for college. For many, this means working part time jobs and taking out thousands of dollars in loans. These loans can affect the future and make it harder for students to progress financially later in life. The financial price of college tends to overshadow the benefits that it may provide for students. With college prices continuing to hike year by year, the value of a college education comes into question. College is not the set all path for every high school graduate and their other endeavors that students can pursue. The student l...

  Summary: College saw increased retention and completion rates as a result of proper resources and care for students.  Quotes:  "The “culture of caring” demonstrates that addressing student poverty barriers increases student success. AC improved threeyear completion rates from 22% to 56%, as measured by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board student success points. More importantly, AC closed achievement gaps across the board with the exception of African American men who made significant gains." (Lowery-Hart 1).  "We learned that if the school 1) removes a life barrier, 2) provides an accelerated learning platform and 3) does so within a deep and systemic culture of caring that loves our students to success, then students will graduate with the skills and credentials needed to earn a living wage." (Lowery-Hart 1).  " e Advocacy & Resource Center (ARC) is the hub of AC’s system designed to eradicate poverty barriers. ARC collaborates with over 60 loca...

Visual:   Table 4 Effects of the Wisconsin Grant on financial aid and attainment, by EFC group. Dependent variable RD effect (Standard error) Zero EFC Middle EFC Difference First stage effects on grant aid at WTCS Awarded Wisconsin Grant (%) 80.21⁎⁎⁎ 84.23⁎⁎⁎ −4.02⁎⁎⁎ (0.38) (0.49) (0.62) Awarded Wisconsin Grant ($) 1127.90⁎⁎⁎ 868.15⁎⁎⁎ 259.75⁎⁎⁎ (1.37) (2.62) (2.96) Paid Wisconsin Grant over three years ($) 361.97⁎⁎⁎ 357.73⁎⁎⁎ 4.24 (10.03) (12.02) (15.67) Reduced-form effects at WTCS (%) Enrolled 1.03 1.07 −0.04 (0.71) (1.00) (1.23) Retained the following year 0.07 1.78⁎ −1.71 (0.70) (1.05) (1.26) Transfer to UW within three years −0.08 −0.58 0.50 (0.34) (0.62) (0.70) Degree within three years 1.51⁎⁎ −0.25 1.76 (0.60) (0.99) (1.16) Degree among continuing students 2.58⁎⁎ −0.69 3.27⁎ (1.11) (1.52) (1.88) Three-year effects at WTCS, per $1000 received Degree (%) 4.18⁎⁎ −0.69 4.87 (1.63) (2.77) (3.21) Degree among continuing students (%) 6.08⁎⁎ −1.88 7.97 (2.60) (4.13) (4.88) Su...

Kristin Blagg is a senior research associate and has performed research  on K–12 and postsecondary education and has studies on student transportation and school choice, student loans, and the role of information in higher education. This article examines the value of the return on investment on college and what possible solutions policymakers can implement to ease the process of paying for college.  Quotes: Problem: " Even with a financial aid package in hand, students can make errors in estimating potential costs. Financial aid award letters can obscure the amount students will actually have to pay, 1 and students do not always make fiscally optimal choices when selecting among financial aid packages (Avery and Hoxby 2004). Students from high-income families are more protected from the potential risks of college costs. These students are often insulated from the need to take on student debt (Houle 2013) and are more likely to make economically rational decisions when weighi...

 In current circumstances, is college worth the immense cost that it presents and is it more beneficial for the middle class to attend college or explore other endeavors? How can paying for college be improved to make the financial aid dispersement more even between income levels? Blagg, Kristin, et al. “Evaluating the Return on Investment in Higher Education: An Assessment of Individual- and State-Level Returns.” Urban Institute, Urban Institute, 1 Sept. 2018. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED592627&site=ehost-live. Payne, Jonathan, and JFF (Jobs for the Future). “The Next-Gen IMT Apprenticeship: A Return on Investment Study.” Jobs for the Future, Jobs for the Future, 1 July 2020. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED607764&site=ehost-live. Is college worth it? (2020, May 30). Retrieved February 19, 2021, from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2011/05/15/is-college-worth-it/ Leonhardt...

 My topic idea still remains on detailing on how college costs have increased throughout the recent years and whether college remains to be the best option for most people. The key terms that seemed the most valuable where value and financial aid. The New York times article on the value of college seems to be useful as well as the studies down by Pew Research Center on the cost of college for various income groups. The ideas that I got from my topic circle around which groups are most affected by the increase in college costs. The controversies I found around my topic involve the amount of aid given is truly helpful for the middle class and if the middle class is hurt or effected the most.