Press Releases
The Pell Institute Releases Research Brief Showing Sharp Decline in High School Student Aspiration for a Bachelor’s Degree
A new Pell Institute research brief reveals that the share of U.S. high school students expecting to earn a bachelor’s degree has plummeted from 72% in 2002 to just 44% in 2022—with first-generation students’ aspirations falling even more steeply from 60% to 33%, signaling a deepening crisis in college access and educational opportunity.
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The Pell Institute is the first research institute to specifically examine the issues affecting educational opportunity for low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students. Learn more about the Pell Institute, including our mission, purpose, goals, and history.
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