Improving higher education access and persistence: New directions from a "systems" perspective

Finding effective ways of increasing college access and persistence requires that proposed solutions be evaluated according to how they individually and collectively interact with the broad goals of higher education. Only then is it possible to estimate the overall impact of any particular solution. This article illustrates a "systems" approach, based on the quality function deployment model, for examining the direct and interaction effects of multiple solutions aimed at improving access and persistence. The results of applying this approach indicate the necessity of quality and access policies that support the entire educational system's capacity to improve. Rather than simply more student aid, the "high leverage" solutions that emerge argue for improving the academic achievement of K-12 students and enhancing the quality of K-12 schools. The article concludes by outlining how researchers and stakeholder groups can jointly use an approach similar to the one we have illustrated to broaden consensus on how to improve access and persistence.