Reports & Tools

Colleges’ Use of Big Data for Tracking Students to Boost Graduation Rates Comes at a Cost (Angela Henderson)

This report from Hechinger explores the relationship between using predictive analytics to improve student success and concerns that such analytics represent an invasion of privacy that reinforces historical inequities.

Divide in Views on Higher Education (Casey Kerins)

A new report by the Pew Research Center discusses the partisan divide in views on higher education. It also discusses the general shift in thinking concerning confidence in higher education and the value of a college degree. 

Emerging Trends

Three More Colleges Go Test Optional (Casey Kerins)  

According to this article from Inside Higher Ed, three additional colleges have gone “test optional” for admissions, a growing trend in higher education. The schools cited other more important markers of student success and the general importance of a holistic review of college applicants.

Moody's Maintains Negative Outlook for Higher Ed (Angela Henderson)

The Inside Higher Ed article on Moody’s Investors Service predicts competition, combined with the increasing focus on affordability, will “likely result in low to negative net tuition revenue growth for many regional public and private colleges and universities” (paragraph 8).

Policy Watch

Public Charge Rule (Casey Kerins) 

Will the new “Public Charge” rule affect higher education? An Inside Higher Ed article argues it definitely could. While the rule is designed to ensure that permanent residency status is given to individuals who can prove self-sufficiency, opponents argue it will confuse immigrant students regarding federal financial aid, and be an obstacle for international students looking to extend their visas to study.

House Bill Would Restore Federal Aid for Students With Marijuana Offenses (Angela Henderson)

As part of a growing movement to restore federal aid to students with past convictions, a bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow students with marijuana convictions to retain their federal financial aid.

NCES Updates

IPEDS Technical Review Panel #59

Suggestions from the most recent meeting of the IPEDS Technical Review Panel are posted here and are currently open for comment. Suggestions are from Technical Review Panel #59, “IPEDS Data Visualizations" that was held June 25-26, 2019, in Washington D.C. Comments should be sent to Janice Kelly-Reid, IPEDS Project Director at RTI International, and are due by September 2, 2019.

Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020

NCES announces the release of the 2020 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). NCES is releasing the 2020 CIP approximately one year in advance of when it will be implemented to allow sufficient time for institutions to update their reporting systems. IPEDS institutions will be expected to use the 2020 CIP beginning with the Fall 2020 Completions Survey, when institutions report on the number of degrees and certificates awarded by 6 digit CIP Code between July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020. The CIP website also contains a detailed Help document and Frequently Asked Questions, to be updated on a regular basis. Email questions to CIP2020@ed.gov.

New IPEDS Brochures

NCES is pleased to announce the release of two new IPEDS brochures in a series designed to inform data users (e.g., researchers, policy makers, members of the media, the general public, etc.) about the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and other NCES surveys.

• The Completions Brochure uses graphics and plain language to describe the different award levels that are collected, the fields of study collected, as well as terminology related to this IPEDS component.
• The Admissions Brochure uses graphics and plain language to describe the data related to the number of students that applied to a school, were admitted, and eventually enrolled.

New Web Tables: Trend Data on Undergraduate Nonfederal Grant and Scholarship Aid

These newly released data tables show trends on the percentage of undergraduates who received nonfederal grant and scholarship aid, as well as the average amount received between 2003-04 and 2015-16.

New Data Point: Changes in Undergraduate Program Completers’ Borrowing Rates and Loan Amounts by Age

This Data Point examines the percentage of undergraduate students who had ever borrowed for postsecondary education and compares borrowing rates and loan amounts among five age groups from 1995–96 through 2015–16.