To a Degree

Today we have a special listen for you with our first crossover episode! At the National College Attainment Network's national conference in Las Vegas we had the chance to sit down with the Coffee with KHEAA podcast from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority. NCAN's Bill DeBaun and Alessandra Cipriani-Detres and KHEAA's Casi Benedict had a great conversation about FAFSA, state policies that promote college attainment, and why the "network" component of NCAN is so valuable.

For more from Coffee with KHEAA, check out https://coffeewithkheaa.podbean.com/

Why is it so hard to get accurate, timely high school-to-college enrollment rates? National College Attainment Network's Bill DeBaun speaks to the National Student Clearinghouse's (NSC) Matthew Holsapple about the newly-released NSC High School Benchmark Report, the 13th in the series, and what it reveals about the postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes of high school graduates. The conversation unpacks the report's findings, what we still don't know, and how college access practitioners can use this data in their work.

The promise of FAFSA simplification is here! National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) Mia Hines speaks with Executive Director, FAFSA Program, Neeta Sonalkar, and Director of Advising at Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, Teresa Steinkamp, about all things FAFSA. The form now takes an average of 12-15 minutes to complete and FAFSA completion is one of the key levers to open doors for students' postsecondary education.

Open Beta for the 2027-28 FAFSA is live from the date this episode was published through the official launch of the form. All students can complete the FAFSA at this link.

As discussed in the episode: Student Support Needs Outpace College Capcity

For more education about the FAFSA and financial aid from NCAN, click here.

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere, including the field of college access. National College Attainment Network's Bill DeBaun talks to Maurice McCaulley, Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation, and Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education Research at the Clayton Christensen Institute, about the intersection of AI and college advising and how we can support the responsible, effective use of this technology.

Links for further reading:

Prosocial Possibilities - Christensen Institute

The next chapter of our U.S. education work: Helping millions more learners succeed - Gates Foundation

Hybrid Advising Co-Op

Tune into a conversation with the National College Attainment Network's Alessandra Cipriani-Detres, Eddy Conroy, Mia Hines, and Louisa Woodhouse. This back to school episode highlights key messages from a policy, programming, and systems change perspective at NCAN: what's promising and what's concerning for the field of college attainment as we go into the new school year.

National College Attainment Network Board President Catalina Cifuentes and Board member Chandra Scott talk to NCAN Chief Programming Officer Zenia Henderson about college attainment in California and Alabama. They explore the different landscapes of their states while keeping the promises of opportunity and choice that come from education at the forefront of their work.

In our pilot episode, hear from the National College Attainment Network's CEO Kim Cook and Senior Program Associate Simone Pringle about their paths to working in college attainment and where they see the future of the field.

Introducing a new podcast from the National College Attainment Network: To a Degree!