Financial Aid
California Community College Students Missing Out on Nearly $130 Million of Financial Aid Each Semester
Affordability is a major barrier keeping students from pursuing higher education. While the skyrocketing price of college tuition has been discussed at length, less time has been spent examining the additional costs that students often have to bear, like food, rent, books, and Read more >
Our Low-income Scholars’ 6-year Grad Rates Rival General UC & CSU Student Populations
Student Data Analysis Highlights AY2015-2016 Over the past 10 years, College Futures Foundation—formerly called College Access Foundation of California—has provided $100 million in scholarships to more than 20,000 low-income students across the state. Since 2008, we have collected data related to our Read more >
Investing In Financial Aid Literacy and Access
Too many students and families in need lack awareness of financial aid, and of the process to apply for it. As a result, they do not benefit from a key ingredient in college access and success. A perceived lack of adequate funds is Read more >
Using Scholarships Strategically: Lessons from 10 Years of Grantmaking
How can scholarships be used as strategic tools so that far more young people can gain access to and be successful in college and entire regions of our state can meet the demand for degrees essential to their economies, communities, and future? In Read more >
New Study Shows Scholarships Can Boost College Enrollment among Low-Income Students
The higher education world often distinguishes between need-based financial aid, which is awarded based on students’ financial need, and merit-based aid which is awarded based on other factors such as high academic performance in high school. For low-income students, especially those who are Read more >
New Research on Making College Possible Amid Rising Costs: Grants, Scholarships, and Low-Income Students
At College Futures Foundation, we believe every student should have the opportunity to succeed in college, but too many low-income students never enroll or leave without a degree. A new study, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) and supported by Read more >
Financial Aid Advising Missing from Local Control and Accountability in Schools
“I need to be asked if I know how to get into college. That’s where I need help.” That’s how one high school senior from Oakland puts the problem: lack of college and financial aid awareness in a system aspiring to prepare young Read more >
Increasing Access to Financial Aid: Three Case Studies
One of the most persistent barriers to a bachelor’s degree for low-income students is a real or perceived lack of adequate funds to go college. Indeed, completion of financial aid forms is a strong predictor of college enrollment and success. For example, students Read more >
