The fall term is underway at most colleges across the country, and campuses are slipping into the familiar rhythms of a new academic year.

New research provides a snapshot of the promise and unexpected challenges of what the year ahead may hold for students and schools alike.

Understandably, there is some doubt today about the value of higher education—that is, its benefits compared to its cost. This helps explain why, even though the percentage of people with post-high school credentials has grown substantially, it’s still only at 54 percent of Americans.

The fact is, we haven’t always done a good job explaining the real value of higher education—and of racial equity, which is key to improving our system, writes Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis in this perspective piece.

Illustration: Mandy Dean

September is student-parent month—an opportunity to celebrate the one in five students in the higher education system, including both undergraduate and graduate students, with dependent children. 

But a lack of access to resources like child care and transportation—in addition to food and housing insecurity and policies that are not designed with them in mind—are barriers to postsecondary success. This interview highlights several ways to help.