| Abstract: |
High school students face many challenges when applying to and enrolling in postsecondary education (e.g., two- and four-year college degree programs, professional training certification programs). Between trying to understand the options available to them, filling out repetitive applications, meeting different deadlines and criteria, and paying for each submission, students face a variety of obstacles that unnecessarily limit postsecondary access. And students seeking to transfer from one college to another face further difficulties in navigating a system that is often not designed with their specific needs in mind. High-quality data is essential to streamlining the admissions process for students--and it is critical that state policy and education leaders, postsecondary education systems, and institutions proactively use data to offer students better pathway information and opportunities. Streamlined admissions policies illustrate how states and institutions can leverage data to benefit students. By simplifying application processes, personalizing outreach, and ensuring that students are efficiently connected to postsecondary pathways--whether they lead to degrees, certificates, or other valuable credentials--state policy and education leaders, K-12 and postsecondary education systems, and institutions can support students in enrolling in the program that best aligns with their unique needs and aspirations. While current admissions innovations are concentrated primarily within two- and four-year colleges and universities, they have the potential to extend to the larger postsecondary education landscape (e.g., apprenticeship and credentialing programs, financial aid and other support). Extending these data-informed innovations can improve and expand students' access to postsecondary education. Statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs)--which bring together data spanning early education, K-12, postsecondary, and the workforce (P-20W)--are powerful tools that connect data across the education continuum. SLDSs enable data use and sharing leading to data analysis and insights to inform programs and policies. Ultimately, they expand access to postsecondary opportunities. This resource examines the role of stronger data systems in addressing challenges and barriers students must currently overcome to access postsecondary education, highlights efforts states and institutions are undertaking to streamline the admissions process, and identifies best practices that have emerged in the field. |