Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America's Public Universities (The William G. Bowen Series, 59) - Softcover

Bowen, William G.; Chingos, Matthew M.; McPherson, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691149909 ISBN 13: 9780691149905

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2011

Synopsis

The United States has long been a model for accessible, affordable education, as exemplified by the country's public universities. And yet less than 60 percent of the students entering American universities today are graduating. Why is this happening, and what can be done? Crossing the Finish Line provides the most detailed exploration ever of college completion at America's public universities. This groundbreaking book sheds light on such serious issues as dropout rates linked to race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

Probing graduation rates at twenty-one flagship public universities and four statewide systems of public higher education, the authors focus on the progress of students in the entering class of 1999--from entry to graduation, transfer, or withdrawal. They examine the effects of parental education, family income, race and gender, high school grades, test scores, financial aid, and characteristics of universities attended (especially their selectivity). The conclusions are compelling: minority students and students from poor families have markedly lower graduation rates--and take longer to earn degrees--even when other variables are taken into account. Noting the strong performance of transfer students and the effects of financial constraints on student retention, the authors call for improved transfer and financial aid policies, and suggest ways of improving the sorting processes that match students to institutions.

An outstanding combination of evidence and analysis, Crossing the Finish Line should be read by everyone who cares about the nation's higher education system.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"Crossing the Finish Line is a must-read for anyone concerned with the disturbing fact that Americans can no longer count on each generation being better educated than the last. Focusing on public institutions that educate more than three-fourths of U.S. students, Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson provide compelling arguments that institutions and policymakers must find new ways to overcome deeply entrenched patterns if our country is to regain its position as the most educated."--Molly Corbett Broad, president, American Council on Education

"Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson have provided a long-needed overview of public higher education. Even though public colleges and universities educate a high fraction of all undergraduates in this country, very little significant research has been undertaken about this sector. The authors have completed a massive project containing data that will guide the future of public higher education for decades to come. This book should be carefully read and studied by every higher education leader in this country."--E. Gordon Gee, president, Ohio State University

"Addressing an issue that will determine America's leadership role in the world, Crossing the Finish Line should be at the top of everyone's reading list. Innovative and accessible data analyses illuminate all the important factors that determine who achieves the American dream now, and who might do so in the future, if we provide the help so many students desperately need."--William Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions, Harvard University

"The twenty-one outstanding flagship state universities studied in this important book are vital for the future of higher education and the quality of our skilled labor force. Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson carry out a sophisticated analysis of the students who enter these universities, those who graduate, and the measurable effects of their education in between. Anyone interested in higher education will want to keep this book at hand."--Robert M. Solow, Nobel Prize-winning economist

"Given rising pressure on state budgets, public higher education must learn to do more with less. Crossing the Finish Line illuminates anachronistic practices, such as an overreliance on test scores in admissions, continuing tuition subsidies to higher income families, and an underemphasis on degree completion. For the nation's economic future and the dreams of tomorrow's college aspirants, we must fundamentally rethink the function, pricing, and operation of public colleges."--Thomas J. Kane, Harvard Graduate School of Education

"Crossing the Finish Line is a timely, compelling, and insightful analysis of the challenges of college completion in the United States. Bowen, Chingos, and McPherson have done an extraordinary job of analyzing and synthesizing data that leads to the inescapable conclusion that far too many of the nation's low-income, first generation, and minority students--the future backbone of our workforce--are not graduating from college. In the modern world, a postsecondary degree or credential is not just nice; it's absolutely necessary for our economic and social prosperity as a nation. This book makes a clear case for getting the right information, the right amount of financial assistance, and the right support to students who otherwise might make the wrong choice--or worse, no choice at all."--Jamie P. Merisotis, president and chief executive officer, Lumina Foundation for Education

"Crossing the Finish Line provides a new and rich source of data. Highly original, the book is by far the most detailed examination ever made of the socioeconomic factors that go into explaining differential rates of public college attendance and completion."--David W. Breneman, Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, University of Virginia

"This comprehensive, accessible, and valuable book examines college completion and noncompletion at a group of public colleges and universities. The authors have assembled remarkable data characterizing the background and college experiences of students at these schools, and make a major contribution to our understanding of public higher education institutions."--Jesse Rothstein, Princeton University

About the Author:

William G. Bowen is president emeritus of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Princeton University. Matthew M. Chingos is a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. Michael S. McPherson is president of the Spencer Foundation and former president of Macalester College.

About this edition

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0691149909
• ISBN 13: 9780691149905
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416