Essential Question 17

About this Essential Question

This question examines the financial accessibility and resource adequacy of postsecondary institutions. Adequate funding for these institutions leads to better student outcomes. For example, higher per-student spending and increased student service expenditures are associated with improved persistence and graduation rates, particularly for students from low-income households. More state funding for higher education can also boost educational attainment and shorten the time to degree completion. While postsecondary education is a key path to economic mobility, it requires significant financial investment from students. Higher unmet need—the cost of attendance that students must pay out of pocket or finance through loans—increases the likelihood of student loan debt or the need for students to work while studying. Student loan default has serious consequences, such as restricted access to other loans, higher repayment amounts due to collection costs, and damaged credit. Policymakers, institutional leaders, and education advocates can use this question to explore funding models for higher education, assess student access to affordable colleges with a minimum economic return, and develop strategies to ensure all postsecondary students attend well-resourced institutions that provide quality education.

Probing Questions

Use these probing questions to dive deeper on the essential question or approach it through a different lens. Feel free to adapt these questions further or come up with your own.  

• How do patterns of student loan repayment, postsecondary institutions’ expenditures per student, and unmet financial need vary by postsecondary institution and institution type? How do they vary by students’ race and ethnicity, income level, first-generation college student status, parenting status, attendance intensity, and/or postsecondary major?
• How do system-level decisions and actions—such as state appropriations for higher education, financial aid advising, and any performance-based financial incentives for students—help or hinder students' educational experiences? How do these vary across different institution types and student populations?
• How might we improve access to well-resourced institutions that provide quality education? What policies or conditions could be improved? Who needs to be involved?