Supporting students to and through college: What does the evidence say?

Attending and completing college is the most reliable pathway to secure a stable economic future. But many students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, struggle to transition to college and to stay on track to complete a degree or credential. Institutions, advocates, and researchers have developed a range of programs and interventions designed to help students successfully enroll in and complete college. These range from traditional advising and coaching programs to less-expensive “low-touch” or “nudge” interventions to more-expensive comprehensive programs that address a wider range of barriers students might face. Many of these programs have been evaluated using rigorous causal research designs in recent decades. What can we learn from this body of evidence studying college access and completion programs and interventions? What practices and approaches are most promising? Where is additional research needed?

On Wednesday, December 11, the Center for Economic Security and Opportunity hosted an event to highlight a new report that provides an in-depth and critical review of the evidence from two-plus decades of research on what the evidence says about how best to support students to and through college. Brookings Senior Fellow Sarah Reber presented the research, followed by an expert panel discussion.

Viewers asked questions in advance by emailing [email protected] or on X @BrookingsEcon using the hashtag #SupportingStudents.