New MHEC Report: College Promise Programs in the Midwest

MHEC Promise Programs ReportFor more than a decade, “college promise” programs have been sprouting up across the nation as a mechanism to address college affordability, increase enrollment and college completion rates, and reduce out-migration. College Promise Programs in the Midwest: Insights for Higher Education Leaders, a new report from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) researched and written by scholar Laura Perna from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), sheds new light on what these programs need to do to realize their promise.

The report grew out of requests from Midwestern state leaders to explore what contributes to the success and potential challenges of promise programs. Unlike traditional grant aid programs, college promise programs provide a clear, early guarantee for students who meet defined criteria that at least some of their costs of attending college – typically tuition – will be covered. By communicating “free tuition” without requiring students to first navigate complex admission and financial aid processes, well-designed promise programs can reduce uncertainty about affordability and encourage students to aspire to and enroll in college. 

The new report details the distinguishing features of 132 college promise programs now in place in the 12 Midwestern states and identifies how programs should be designed and implemented to maximize desired outcomes.

Read the full report researched by Laura Perna, an internationally known researcher on college access and affordability who has been studying these programs since 2015.

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