Dr. Courtney Brown, Vice President of Impact and Planning for Lumina Foundation, discusses key findings from the 2024 State of Higher Education Study conducted in partnership with Gallup. She shares critical insights into evolving student demographics, barriers to enrollment, and strategies for addressing challenges in higher education.

Key Discussion Points

The Changing Profile of Today's College Students:

• Shift away from traditional recent high school graduates to more diverse, non-traditional learners.
• Approximately 35% of students are financially independent from parents.
• About one-third of students have children of their own.
• 60% of students work while in school, with 40% holding full-time jobs.
• Over one-third of current students are over 25 years old.

Primary Barriers to Enrollment and Completion:

• Cost and affordability remain the number one obstacle for potential and current students.
• Emotional stress and mental health concerns have dramatically increased since 2020.
• Work and family responsibilities create additional challenges for many students.
• State policies on divisive issues influence enrollment decisions across demographics.

Students Stopping Out: A Growing Crisis:

• 41.9 million U.S. adults have some college credit but no degree, up 1.5 million from the previous year.
• 64% of currently enrolled students have considered stopping out in the last six months.
• Emotional stress is the leading cause of student attrition, with 70% citing it as their primary reason for considering stopping out.

The Perceived Value of Higher Education:

• Nearly all adults without a degree believe at least one type of credential is extremely or very valuable.
• Almost 60% of adults who have never enrolled have considered doing so in the past two years.
• 84% of current or prospective students cite employment factors as reasons for enrolling.

Strategic Adaptation for Higher Education Institutions:

• Need for transparent pricing models and innovative financial aid options.
• Importance of enhancing mental health and support services for students.
• Adapting programs to accommodate non-traditional students' needs.
• Strengthening alignment between higher education and workforce demands.
• Addressing systemic barriers and advocating for supportive policies.

Three Key Takeaways for Higher Education Leaders and Boards

• Actively collect data on student needs and experiences to inform decision-making.
• Analyze community demographics to identify and serve potential future students.
• Continuously explore ways to make education more affordable and accessible.

Bonus Takeaway: Include a non-traditional student on the board of trustees to provide valuable insights into diverse student needs.

Read the transcript on our website at: https://changinghighered.com/ state-of-higher-education-report-2024-lumina-gallup/

#TheStateOfHigherEducation #HigherEducation #LuminaGallupReport

About Our Podcast Guest

Courtney Brown, Ph.D., is vice president of impact and planning for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. As the chief data and research officer, Brown oversees the foundation's efforts in the areas of strategic planning, learning, impact, and effectiveness. She also leads Lumina's international engagement.

She joined the foundation in 2011 with a strong background in performance measurement, research, and evaluation. Before 2011, Brown was a senior research associate at the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at Indiana University. There, she led studies and evaluations focused on education and post-high school programs within the United States and across Europe.

Brown is a frequent speaker and panelist in the United States and other countries regarding postsecondary strategy, student success, data-driven decision-making, and evidence-based practices. She has developed and shared manuals, working papers, articles, and books related to undergraduate research, performance measurement, randomized-control trials, and other evaluation methods, as well as conducted webinars and workshops on topics such as evaluation, performance measurement, and success in education beyond high school.

About the Host

Dr. Drumm McNaughton is a consultant to higher ed institutions in governance, accreditation, strategy, change, and mergers. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm's website, https://changinghighered.com/.

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