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what we do

  • The Project on Student Debt

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    The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of rising student debt and the implications for our families, economy, and society.

  • Keeping California's Promise

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    California’s Master Plan for higher education guarantees a place in college for every eligible student. The Institute seeks to maximize the effectiveness of this promise by ensuring students have the financial aid and student services they need to succeed, particularly at California’s community colleges.

  • College InSight

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    College InSight is a unique new web site for higher education data and research. The site is a valuable resource for anyone interested in college affordability, student debt, economic and racial diversity, student success, and other important issues in higher education.

  • Simplifying the FAFSA

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    There is widespread agreement that the current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a barrier to college access. The Institute supports using IRS data to automatically answer income questions on the FAFSA.


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what's new

Special Topics

Resources, publications and links on specific topics including:

See all special topics

Recent Products

Cal Grants

Strengthening Cal Grants to Better Serve Today's Students

TICAS and more than a dozen other student, civil rights, business, and college access organizations have come together to release a new analysis of how Cal Grants could better serve low-income college students.

Read the report

RADD

Aligning the Means and the Ends

This white paper calls for major changes to federal student aid, including Pell Grants, student loans, and tax benefits, with the goals of increasing college affordability and completion.

Read the report

SDR2010

Student Debt and the Class of 2011

Two-thirds of college seniors who graduated in 2011 had student loan debt, with an average of $26,600 per borrower. Meanwhile, unemployment for young college graduates remained high at 8.8 percent in 2011.

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Adding It All Up 2012: Are College Net Price Calculators Easy to Find, Use, and Compare?

This report examines the state of net price calculators nearly a year after almost all U.S. colleges were required to post them on their websites. Our in-depth look at 50 randomly selected colleges' calculators found that many are difficult for prospective college students and their families to find, use, and compare.

Read the report 

Cohort Default Resource Page

Our resource page on the federal two-year and three-year student loan cohort default rates (CDRs) provides background and useful links about cohort default rates for reporters, policymakers, and the general public.

Visit the resource page

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