NEW YORK – EdTrust-New York released a new analysis today showing that far too many students leave college without earning a degree, particularly those who graduated from high schools serving the largest shares of students from low-income backgrounds. 

The analysis uses data from EdTrust-New York’s To & Through interactive tool, which allows users to explore how well New York State’s public high schools are preparing students for success in college. 

EdTrust-New York built the online tool using data from the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) and the National Student Clearinghouse. The tool provides clear and transparent information about college enrollment, persistence, and outcomes. 

The To and Through tool analyzes students who: 

1. graduated from New York State public high schools in 2017 and 2018; 

1. enrolled the following fall in a New York college or university; and 

1. participated in the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), which, during those years, provided financial aid to families generally earning up to $80,000 per year for dependent undergraduate students.  

The updated tool tracks each cohort of students for six years after they enroll in college and measures whether they earn an associate or bachelor’s degree. 

The findings highlight the urgent need to better support New Yorkers on the path to earning a college degree, from high school through college completion. 

“A college degree gives many students a real shot at higher earnings and long-term financial stability, especially those the education system often does not served well,” said Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, executive director at EdTrust-New York. “This tool helps parents, students and policymakers pinpoint where support is needed most so they can direct resources more effectively and guide students on their postsecondary pathway. Our goal is to ensure more New Yorkers, particularly first-generation students and those receiving financial aid, have a clear path to earning a college degree.” 

Key Findings: 

• On-time college completion improved slightly. The on-time graduation rate increased 1 percentage point from the 2017 cohort to the 2018 cohort among students who enrolled in both two- and four-year colleges. Earlier analyses also show steady increases in on-time completion for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 cohorts. 

• Yet, only one-third of students graduate on time. Among 2018 high school graduates who participated in TAP and enrolled in two- or four-year colleges, just 33% earned a postsecondary degree on time. 

• About two-thirds complete a degree within six years. 63% of the 2018 cohort completed a degree within six years, nearly the same rate as the 2017 cohort. 

• Students who graduated from high schools serving larger shares of students from low-income backgrounds had lower on-time and long-term college completion rates than students from schools serving smaller shares of students from low-income backgrounds.  

The data highlight the need for policymakers to advance equity-focused policies that help more students succeed on their path to and through college, including to: 

• Codify, implement, and invest in the statewide longitudinal data system that NYSED is currently working on, which connects early childhood, K-12, higher education and workforce data, and provides policymakers, district and school leaders and educators with the insights to improve college readiness and student success. 

• Establish clear criteria that define when high school graduates are truly college and career ready. 

• Encourage and support schools and districts in using this To and Through data to better align high school preparation with college expectations. 

• Utilize the To and Through data to help state and districts leaders determine the effectiveness of new pathways that can demonstrate proficiency as part of new NY Inspires graduation measure changes. 

• Expand access to advanced coursework for middle and high school students. 

• Commit to a statewide postsecondary attainment goal, with an emphasis on students receive financial aid. 

• Expand investments in programs like ASAP and ACE, which provide wrap around supports that help college students persist, and emergency aid to help students who experience financial emergencies that can drive them out of college. 

Learn more about the findings and explore the data here. 

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About EdTrust-New York 

EdTrust-New York is dedicated to eliminating equity and opportunity gaps that hinder students from reaching their full potential. We focus on ensuring that students of color, including Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students, and those from low-income backgrounds achieve high levels of success from early childhood through college. For more information, visit EdTrustNY.org.