IS COLLEGE POSSIBLE? COLLEGE ACCESS AND ADMISSIONS IN THE US
Survey of the college access landscape in the US with particular attention to historical and contemporary social, economic, and political contexts from the individual to federal level. Specifically focus on students' transitions from K12 to higher education, including policy aspects of college-going affecting college preparation, search, application, choice, and enrollment. Review, discuss, and apply evidence-based perspectives on related issues, including affordability and postsecondary sectors, with an emphasis on interventions seeking to reduce social and economic inequality in access to college.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Junior standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe the economic, political, and social contexts surrounding access to higher education in the US Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Summarize different pathways and pitfalls to equitable access with particular attention to differences across individual (student, family) and systems (community/institutional/government) contexts Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Critique and synthesize evidence examining various strategies and interventions to increase access Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Apply multi-disciplinary perspectives to novel issues in college access and generate policy solutions Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Communicate evidence-based recommendations to diverse stakeholders using various methods Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Formulate novel research questions on contemporary college access issues drawing from prior work Audience: Graduate 7. Conduct high-quality empirical research on college access leveraging disciplinary norms and methods Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe the economic, political, and social contexts surrounding access to higher education in the US Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Summarize different pathways and pitfalls to equitable access with particular attention to differences across individual (student, family) and systems (community/institutional/government) contexts Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Critique and synthesize evidence examining various strategies and interventions to increase access Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Apply multi-disciplinary perspectives to novel issues in college access and generate policy solutions Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Communicate evidence-based recommendations to diverse stakeholders using various methods Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Formulate novel research questions on contemporary college access issues drawing from prior work Audience: Graduate 7. Conduct high-quality empirical research on college access leveraging disciplinary norms and methods Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027