The federal role in higher education has grown over the past two decades, and now a new administration has the opportunity to strengthen policies that support students and their colleges and universities. To help inform these decisions, the Urban Institute convened a bipartisan group of scholars and policy advisers to write a series of memos highlighting some of the most critical issues in higher education and recommending policy solutions. This memo draws on behavioral science to offer low-cost changes the federal government could make—including simplifying the application for student aid and leveraging existing digital touch points with students—to help ensure academically capable students make it to graduation.

To read all of the memos, click here.