Supporting Student Success: Case Studies in Making College More Affordable

Paying for college consistently ranks as a top concern for students considering stopping out or otherwise at risk of leaving their institution without a credential. And while tuition and fees are often the biggest financial responsibilities students face, there’s also living expenses, books, supplies, activities and more. These expenditures add up, especially as college students experience higher levels of food and housing insecurity than the general population. 

In this live webcast, Inside Higher Ed’s Colleen Flaherty will explore what’s been called the college affordability crisis and share the steps—big and small—that institutions, policymakers and other leaders are taking to ease the financial burden on students. 

Key topics include:

• The data on college costs, its impact on student success and the ongoing debate surrounding the value of a college degree 
• Disparities in financial security levels among students, based on race, ethnicity and gender
• Initiatives around the country that have addressed housing insecurity among their students and lessons learned from these efforts
• The extent to which colleges are using financial aid data to help their students meet basic needs
• An overview of state-level efforts to offer free college in Massachusetts and Colorado
• The potential for AI to reduce higher education costs in ways that benefit students