September 2025, Eye on Research
Commentary
As we start another academic year, I find myself reflecting on converging research that challenges some of our assumptions about credit mobility and excess credit accumulation. Recent studies examining faculty perspectives, tracking actual credit flows, and analyzing credit usability at scale reveal complex human and systemic dynamics that shape learner pathways.
The reveals significant subjectivity in credit evaluation. Data reveal decisions may be based on various factors, such as delivery modality, rather than the actual course content. More concerning are persistent assumptions about community-college rigor that influence whether learners receive credit for prior learning.
, using novel learner-record archives, challenges our understanding of credit transfer. By tracking learners through actual credit flows, researchers found only 2.7% of credits lost degree applicability specifically due to transfer. This is far lower than the 43% often cited nationally. The study also revealed that credits can gain applicability when learners transfer, particularly when moving from restrictive associate programs to bachelor's programs with more elective flexibility.
The CUNY work complements I referenced in the January 2025 blog. Ojha and Hush examined over 13,000 graduates and found that approximately 98% accumulate extra credits, with patterns surprisingly similar between transfer and nontransfer learners. Their analysis reveals that excess credits—those that count toward requirements but are not needed—dominate extra-credit accumulation, rather than unusable transfer credits.
I would like to put forward that these research findings validate the core argument of ̽»¨Â¥'s recent White Paper on credit mobility. Transfer is one part of a larger ecosystem of credit mobility. Operational deficiencies are a core lever that we can actually fix.
demonstrate the transformative potential of addressing these operational foundations systematically. An improvement science initiative uses data-informed, systematic, user-centered methods to improve educational systems, policies, and learner outcomes. This is accomplished by addressing specific problems within complex systems.
These efforts do not solve every challenge of credit mobility, but they reveal one lever that institutions can pull right now to make a measurable difference. For example, institutions participating in transfer-focused improvement networks have achieved impressive results. UI-Urbana Champaign increased transfer enrollments by 22%.
These examples reveal how operational improvements directly impact learner success. When evaluation processes are streamlined and transparent, learners can make informed decisions based on the actual applicability of credits, rather than navigating opacity and delays.
̽»¨Â¥ National Learning-Mobility Challenge: Improving Transfer Time-to-Decision
Credit-mobility challenges are fundamentally human problems rooted in perceptions, communication gaps, and timing barriers. No single reform will “solve transfer,” but accelerating operational processes is one area where institutions can see immediate gains for learners. The speed of admitting a transfer learner matters. Every day spent waiting for a decision leaves a learner in limbo, unable to continue their educational journey. The inaugural ̽»¨Â¥ National Learning Mobility Challenge addresses this head-on. This initiative was developed in partnership with NASH and leverages improvement science to help institutions accelerate learner journeys through systematic operational improvements.
Phase 1 of the Learning Mobility Challenge offers institutions an opportunity to create a national picture of transfer timelines, while Phase 2 invites institutions to improve their own processes with guided, technical assistance. For corporate partners, this represents a redefined engagement model to help them become integral stakeholders in driving real change. The ̽»¨Â¥ National Learning Mobility Challenge provides the framework, support, and community needed to transform these insights into institutional change.
in making learning mobility a reality for every learner. Deadline: November 14, 2025.
̽»¨Â¥ Research Updates
High School Dual Enrollment Benchmark Report: Our partnership with NACEP has produced this new comprehensive benchmark of high school dual enrollment practice and policy.
Beyond Next Semester: Results of the Advantages of Annual Scheduling Survey: The results of the June 2025 60-second survey are now available here. This research was made possible in part by Ad Astra; it is based on 471 institutional responses.
Chief Admissions Officer Career Profile Survey Report: I am now working on the analysis and written summary of the 2025 report. Expect it in your inboxes in October 2025.
September–AI in Academic Operations Survey: A focused 60-second survey to explore how institutions are approaching AI integration in academic operations, supported in part by CourseDog, closed on September 18, 2025. The report is expected by mid-November 2025.
October–Admissions Staffing Survey: This is our newest addition! We're complementing our career-profile work with staffing analysis to understand who leads teams and how they are structured. Staffing patterns tell us as much about institutional priorities as individual career paths do.
December–Pre-college Program Survey: It has been several years since we explored how institutions use pre-college programs. In December 2025, we will share an updated 60-Second Survey on the topic. We look forward to sharing the updated data.
Call for Participation
The College Board is exploring opportunities to improve transfer success for community-college learners through their new mission-first Greenhouse initiative. Researchers are interested in interviewing staff at community colleges and 4-year institutions to gain a deeper understanding of the transfer process behind the scenes, including staff who play a day-to-day role in learner transfers, such as advising, admissions, registrars, articulation, and faculty. Interviews will be used to better understand where there may be opportunities to make the transfer process less burdensome for learners and staff.
Selected participants will be compensated $75 after completing a 60-minute interview. To express interest in participating, please . The team will reach out to schedule a time to meet if you are selected.
Current Higher-Education Research and Related Topics
Study-Abroad Dreams versus Financial Reality: New Survey Reveals Key Barriers
A 2025 Terra Dotta of 275 college learners found that while 75% hope to study abroad, financial constraints remain the biggest obstacle, with 80% citing insufficient funds as a barrier. Research reveals learners want more institutional support for financing these experiences, which typically cost over $5,000 and provide significant personal- and professional-development benefits.
- Cost concerns dominate: Most learners expect to pay over $5,000 for study-abroad experiences, with 40% of committed participants budgeting over $10,000.
- Multiple barriers exist: Beyond finances, surveyed learners cite safety concerns (40%), geopolitical issues (28%), and academic-program misalignment (18%) as deterrents.
- Institutional support needed: 65% of learners want easier access to financial aid information, and 35% believe colleges should provide better information about funding opportunities for international programs.
Brain Drain? Study Reveals Cognitive Costs of AI Use in Academic Writing
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used electroencephalogram (EEG) technology to examine how different writing tools affect cognitive engagement. Fifty-four participants wrote essays using large language model AI (LLMs), search engines, or no external assistance across multiple sessions. The found LLM users showed significantly weaker neural-connectivity patterns and reduced cognitive engagement, compared to those writing without assistance. This raises concerns about the potential learning impacts of AI in educational settings.
Neural activity decreases with AI support: Brain connectivity systematically declined with external tool use. LLM users showed the weakest neural engagement, search-engine users intermediate levels of engagement, and brain-only writers the strongest cognitive activation.
Reduced ownership and recall: LLM users reported low ownership of their essays and struggled to quote from work they had written just minutes earlier, suggesting diminished learning retention.
Preliminary findings are concerning: Over 4 months of testing, LLM users consistently underperformed brain-only writers across neural, linguistic, and scoring measures. Researchers emphasize these are early results requiring peer review and replication.
College Still Desired: Most U.S. Parents Favor Higher Education, Despite Low Confidence in Institutions
A 2025 Lumina Foundation-Gallup of over 2,000 adults found that 59% of parents with children under 18 prefer their child to attend college immediately after high school, despite declining public confidence in higher-education institutions. Figure 1. The study reveals that while college remains the top choice across demographic groups, preferences vary significantly by political affiliation and educational background. Democrats and college graduates show stronger support for 4-year degrees.
Political and educational divides: Democrats (73%) are more likely than Republicans (48%) to favor college pathways. Parents with bachelor's degrees (75%) surpass those without degrees (50%) in preferring higher education for their children.
4-year versus 2-year preferences: Parents with college degrees are nearly twice as likely as those without (58% versus 30%) to want their child to attend a 4-year institution. Two-year college preferences remain consistent across political groups at around 20%.
Alternative pathways gain traction: While college dominates preferences, 16% of parents favor job-training programs. Republicans and independents show greater interest in workforce entry and vocational training compared to Democrats.
Figure 1: Most U.S. Parents Prefer Their Child Pursue a Two- or Four-Year Degree Immediately After High School
Source: Marken, S. (2025, August 7). Most parents prefer college pathway for their child. Gallup.com.
Breaking Assumptions: Academic-Advising Impact Varies Among Different Marginalized Learner Groups
A new published in the journal Educational Researcher examined the use and impact of advising on learner success. Researchers from NYU Steinhardt analyzed 4 years of academic advising records at an unidentified large U.S. university system to test the common assumption that marginalized learners are less likely to connect with authority figures like advisors. The study also looked at who uses advising services.
First-generation learners show lower engagement: First-generation college learners were less likely to schedule advising appointments compared to continuing-generation learners. This contradicts broader assumptions about marginalized learner behavior.
Other marginalized groups actively seek support: Racial/ethnic minority, limited-income, and international learners meet with academic advisors as frequently as, or more often than, their mainstream counterparts.
Unequal benefits from advising: While various learner groups see GPA improvements from advising meetings, White learners gain more graduation benefits from these interactions, compared to racial/ethnic minority learners. This suggests differential outcomes, despite similar usage patterns.
College Costs Rise 9% as Families Miss Financial-Aid Opportunities
Sallie Mae's 2025 of 2,000 families found college spending increased to $30,837 per year, returning to prepandemic levels, while Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates declined. Many families remain unaware of available financial aid options. Despite most families viewing college as a worthwhile investment, misconceptions about scholarships and federal aid timing may be costing families a significant amount of money. A useful infographic fact sheet can be found here.
Payment mix shifts, but borrowing remains steady: Families covered costs primarily through income and savings (48%), scholarships and grants (27%), and borrowing (23%). Nearly 50% of families pay less than the “sticker price.”
FAFSA confusion hurts aid access: While 64% found the new FAFSA easier to complete, overall completion dropped to 71%. Only 21% knew applications opened in October, potentially missing limited or first-come financial aid opportunities.
Scholarship misconceptions are widespread: 40% of families didn't pursue scholarships, due to a lack of awareness (34%) or believing they wouldn't qualify (28%).
Community-College-Transfer Success Remains Steady, Despite Low Overall Rates
The 2025 Tracking Transfer from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center examined 6-year outcomes for learners who started community college in fall 2017. Research found 31.6% transferred to 4-year institutions. Nearly 50% of those transfers completed bachelor's degrees.
The study was a collaboration between multiple research organizations. It reveals consistent transfer patterns compared to previous cohorts, with dual-enrollment learners and those earning awards before transferring showing significantly better outcomes.
Low but stable transfer rates: 33% of first-time community-college learners transferred to 4-year institutions within 6 years. Completion rates remain steady, compared to previous entering cohorts.
Dual-enrollment advantage: Learners with prior dual-enrollment experience significantly outperformed first-time learners. They achieved 46.9% transfer rates and 60.1% bachelor's-degree completion rates, compared to lower rates for traditional first-time learners.
Public institutions dominate transfers: 75% of community-college transfers attended public 4-year institutions. They showed the highest bachelor's completion rates at 70.3%; learners who earned awards before transferring had notably higher retention rates (86.8%).
Assessment Paradox: High Compliance Yet Persistent Challenges in Higher Ed
A 2025 Coursedog of 189 higher-education assessment professionals reveals that while 75% of institutions avoided violations during their last accreditation cycle, significant operational challenges persist in data analysis, faculty engagement, and technological fragmentation. Despite standardized processes and templates at most institutions, assessment teams remain understaffed and struggle with closing the feedback loop on improvement initiatives.
Staffing constraints amid multiple responsibilities: Nearly 50% of institutions rely on one or two full-time employees for assessment work. Department chairs are most commonly responsible (49%) for tracking and executing action items from assessment reports.
Technology fragmentation undermines efficiency: 90% of institutions use two or more different platforms for assessment activities. 45% juggle five or more systems, creating potential inefficiencies, despite standardized processes.
Faculty engagement remains elusive: The biggest challenges include lack of time and competing priorities (39%), perception of assessment as mere compliance (26%), and difficulty demonstrating how results drive actual improvements (19%). 71% of institutions plan to explore AI solutions, despite only 14% currently using them.
Learner Mental-Health Struggles Persist, Despite Improvements
The 2024-25 Healthy Minds of over 84,000 learners at 135 institutions found 36% of college learners are thriving, while 30% experience moderate anxiety or depression. However, some metrics showed slight improvement after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reveals complex challenges around mental health, loneliness, and eating disorders, while highlighting increased usage of counseling services and ongoing barriers to learner well-being.
Mixed recovery signals: Fewer learners reported anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation compared to 2021-22. Therapy usage increased from 30% to 37% since 2018-19. Overall, thriving rates declined slightly from 38% to 36%
Academic impact remains significant: 68% of learners reported mental or emotional difficulties affected their academic performance at least 1 day a month; 17% experience impacts 6 or more days a month.
Emerging concerns around eating and isolation: Using a more inclusive assessment tool, 28% of learners screened positive for an eating disorder. 20% reported prevalent loneliness, and 25% often felt isolated, though isolation rates showed slight improvement from previous years.
Engaged but Struggling: Community-College Learners Who Are Parents Face Completion Gap, Despite High Motivation
A 2024 Community College Survey of Student Engagement of 164 colleges found that learners who are also parents comprise 23% of community-college-survey respondents. They demonstrate higher engagement across all key academic benchmarks, compared to non-parenting peers. Figure 2. Yet parent learners face significant barriers, including financial insecurity, caregiving responsibilities, and underuse of support services. Despite their strong academic performance and motivation, these learners experience lower completion rates nationally, with 62% failing to obtain credentials within 6 years, compared with 52% of nonparenting independent learners.
- Higher engagement, lower completion paradox: Parent learners outperform nonparent peers across all five engagement benchmarks. They report behaviors, such as working harder to meet standards and coming to class prepared, yet these learners struggle with completion due to external pressures.
- Career-focused goals with resource constraints: 77% seek job-skill updates, and 84% want associate degrees compared to 70% and 81% of nonparent learners, respectively. Many are motivated by career changes but face significant financial barriers, with over 33% living below federal poverty levels.
- Support service gaps persist: Despite 71% reporting that caring for dependents could cause withdrawal and citing financial concerns, 91% never use available childcare services. Over 33% never access financial aid advising, while 33% believe their colleges don't adequately support them as parents.
Figure 2: Parenting learners report higher engagement across key benchmarks.
Source: CCCSE. (2025). Multiple responsibilities, single mission.
Provosts Stay Optimistic Amid Federal Cuts and Academic Freedom Challenges
Inside Higher Ed's 2025 of 478 chief academic officers found that despite federal-funding cuts affecting 56% of institutions and growing concerns about academic freedom, 99% of provosts believe their institutions provide quality undergraduate education. Ninety-one percent are satisfied that they pursued administrative work. The survey also reveals how provosts are navigating the policy changes of the second Trump administration while grappling with AI integration, faculty turnover, and their own job pressures.
Federal funding impact varies, but strategies converge: While 92% of public doctoral-institution provosts report funding decreases, most cuts remain under 5%. 40% of affected institutions are pursuing alternative funding sources, such as private donors and industry partnerships, rather than looking at cutting major programs.
Academic freedom faces pressure but persists: Only 36% of provosts report academic freedom is "strong and well protected." 50% note it is maintained but facing increasing challenges. However, provosts remain more supportive of tenure (57%) than other higher-education leaders, such as presidents (37%) or business officers (28%).
AI adoption accelerates amid faculty resistance: Nearly 90% of provosts report faculty AI discussions, and 50% use AI chat assistants. 52% believe professors should not be forced to use AI in classrooms. While only 29% have reviewed curriculum for AI workplace preparation, 63% plan to do so.
Structural Transformation Required: Colleges Redesign Operations to Serve Adult Learners
A new American Institutes for Research , supported by the Lumina Foundation and examining innovative colleges, reveals that effectively serving the 43 million Americans with some college but no degree requires fundamental institutional restructuring rather than superficial program additions. The study highlights how institutions like Dallas College, Cerritos College, and Morgan State University are implementing comprehensive changes to their organizational structures, data systems, and campus cultures to support adult learners, particularly those from historically underserved communities.
Organizational overhaul beats program tweaks: Dallas College merged seven independent campuses into one institution to eliminate fragmented residency requirements that prevented adult learners from completing credentials. Other schools have created dedicated learner-success coaches and navigators.
Data drives daily decisions: Cerritos College embedded key performance indicators across all departments and trained staff on analytics dashboards. Leadership emphasized that while strategic goals come from the top, actual implementation starts at the grassroots departmental level.
Culture change requires champions and stories: Morgan State University's approach focuses on building networks of advocates rather than relying on single champions. It aims to elevate adult-learner voices and experiences to reshape institutional culture around serving learners who balance work, caregiving, and educational goals.