Retention of Low-Income Students
Among colleges that serve low-income students, there is a wide variation in graduation rates, with a number of these institutions having graduation rates exceeding the average for all colleges. With funding from Lumina Foundation for Education, the Pell Institute has engaged in research to identify differences in institutional characteristics or practices that might help to explain differences in student outcomes. The first of two projects was completed in 2003 and focused on institutions that serve high percentages of Pell Grant recipients. The report detailing the research and the findings entitled "Raising the Graduation Rates of Low-Income Students" can be found by clicking here.
The second project examining institutions that serve large numbers of Pell grant recipents is currently underway and will be completed in 2006.

Campus Equality Initiative
The goal of the Campus Equality Initiative is to promote the enrollment and graduation of low-income college students by making economic diversity—to what extent low-income students are represented among undergraduates enrolled in a given institution—a standard measure of college quality. The project consists of an internet-based database that helps students, parents, and policymakers appraise a higher education institution's commitment to equalizing college opportunity, a student research competition, and a one-day symposium featuring research conducted by policy analysts using the Campus Equality database. This project is funded by the Irvine Foundation.

Indicators of Opportunity in Higher Education
The purpose of this project is to measure the opportunities for low-income students to access and succeed in higher education, and to track progress and improvement over time. An annual report, Indicators of Opportunity in Higher Education is a chance to remind people of not only the progress that has been made, but also how far we, as a nation, must go in order to open wide the doors of postsecondary education for all students. The first report was released in September 2004. Please click here to check the publications site.