MDRC’s Center for Applied Behavioral Science (CABS) and Postsecondary Education policy area launched The Finish Line: Graduation by Design to improve college completion rates using behavioral insights. Graduating from college is a challenge, particularly for low‐income and nontraditional students, who often face personal, institutional, and structural barriers to success.

The number of credits that students attempt each semester and students’ academic performance are well‐documented predictors of graduation. Yet, most community college students enroll in fewer than 15 credits per semester, making it nearly impossible for them to graduate in two years. Many of these students also struggle academically, failing to make satisfactory academic progress, halting their progress altogether, and losing financial aid. What can be done about these types of challenges?

Read the full article about college graduation rates from mdrc.org