The call for session proposals is now open for the annual Student Financial Aid Research Network (SFARN) Conference—an essential gathering of researchers, policymakers, and advocates committed to advancing educational equity through data and evidence-based research. The purpose of this series of blog posts is to highlight two seminal panels that occurred at the last conference that highlight key challenges for the research community that continue today and will likely lead to further discussions, and possibly lead to solutions, at the next conference. This first blog post highlights the studies that were cancelled or curtained at the National Center for Education Statistics.
In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Education made a quiet yet profoundly consequential decision to abruptly terminate major research contracts and lay off dozens of staff and contractors. This sudden funding cut poses a serious threat to the nation’s ability to access credible, comprehensive data on college affordability, student success, and postsecondary outcomes. In response, the Pell Institute issued a statement underscoring the critical role of research in holding institutions accountable and ensuring a high-quality, equitable higher education system. At the 2025 SFARN conference, researchers affected by these cancellations presented their respective studies, emphasizing their goals, key findings, and enduring significance in advancing the field of education research.
The first special panel, “An Overview of NPSAS, BPS, and B&B in the Landscape of Financial Aid Research,” consisted of key presentations highlighting the work of three major national studies, from how students pay for college to what happens after they graduate. The purpose of the panel was to highlight the contributions of these studies in light of the decision to cancel most of the contracts supporting this work.
The NPSAS offers a comprehensive look at how students and their families finance college. Conducted every 3–4 years since 1987, the study draws on surveys from around 100,000 students and administrative sources such as the College Board and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). It provides nationally representative data on students attending Title IV institutions and answers key questions about the financial aid process, such as how many students apply for aid, who receives it, and what trends are emerging in institutional grants and merit-based aid. The NPSAS data covers key topics such as:
- Financial aid and educational expenses
- Enrollment patterns, degree programs, and field of study
- Student employment
- Education experiences during the NPSAS year
- Student background and demographics
- Institutional characteristics
NPSAS has informed financial aid policy for over 30 years. For instance, an NCES study using NPSAS illustrated that at public four-year institutions, the percentage of full-time undergraduates receiving institutional merit aid increased significantly, from 8 percent in 1995-96 to 18 percent in 2007-2008. These key findings are essential for identifying both successes gaps in access and shaping more equitable financial aid policies.
Meanwhile, the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) study focuses on individuals who have completed bachelor’s degrees, tracked initially through NPSAS, and follows them one, four, and ten years post-graduation. Conducted every other NPSAS cycle, B&B emphasizes the experiences of K–12 teachers, who are intentionally oversampled. The study explores:
- Earnings and employment outcomes
- Post-baccalaureate enrollment and completion
- Graduate loan debt
- Student loan repayment
- Family formation
- Institutional characteristics
Recent B&B updates have included new areas of focus, such as salary and benefit negotiations, teacher support systems, and long-term persistence in the classroom. According to the B&B:16/20, four years after earning their 2015-16 bachelor’s degrees, 74 percent of graduates were employed full time, 7 percent held part-time positions,14 percent were out of the labor force, and 4 percent were actively seeking employment. Findings such as these, shed light on how a college degree influences career and life trajectories well beyond graduation, beginning with post-graduation employment trajectories.
The Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) Longitudinal Study captures the student journey from the first year of postsecondary education through the sixth year. Also conducted every other NPSAS cycle, alternating with B&B, BPS surveys over 22,000 students and draws on administrative data to examine:
- Postsecondary enrollment/persistence
- First-year experiences
- Academic preparation
- Student loan debt over time
- Transfer and graduation rates
- Post-enrollment outcomes.
In its latest iterations, BPS has also begun tracking non-monetary benefits of education, career expectations, and the decision-making process around choosing majors and occupations. In the BPS:12/14, research found that compared with certificate students, fewer associate’s degree students were enrolled full-time and more had mixed enrollment. These findings help us better understand student persistence and success over time.
Implications
Collectively, NPSAS, B&B, and BPS are the only data sources available that track the use of financial aid over time and student outcomes that can be directly attributed back to student experiences while in college. They are invaluable resources that inform the work of universities, nonprofits, think tanks, journalists, and federal agencies. In today’s climate—where government spending is under constant scrutiny and public trust in institutions is increasingly questioned—this kind of rigorous, longitudinal research is more important than ever. These studies offer a detailed view of how students are faring and where systemic inequities persist. They allow us to track progress in real time and to adjust policies accordingly. Without this data, we lose the ability to clearly understand what’s working and what’s not.