Scientific Evidence & Student Success

What would you do if a large and rigorous federally-funded experiment found that your university’s financial aid practice didn’t move the needle or promote equity for students?

Today in the Chronicle of Higher Education, veteran reporter Goldie Blumenstyk grapples with that question stemming from my latest co-authored research study.

The practice? Completion grants — funds distributed by a university to students who seem to be nearing the finish line, about to finish their degrees, but potentially stuck due to a financial shortfall.

Completion grants became wildly popular several years ago, and remain in vogue. Not only are institutions funding them out of their own coffers, but now philanthropy and even states (hello Georgia) have gotten into the act. Consider this summary of a recent presentation by Tim Renick, one of the nation’s preeminent student success leaders, at an event last fall:

“Dr. Renick summarized the results of a just-completed study of Georgia State undergraduates between 2013 and 2021. In comparing completion and graduation rates for students that never had to stop out for a financial reason versus those that did, it was 70% to 20%. For seniors alone, the difference was 80% to 30%. The truly significant number was revealed by comparing this 50 point gap with students who received a…