State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas, 2018

The State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas (SOSA) annual report from Trellis Research provides information helpful in informing policy and programs for higher education student financial aid. The report serves as a reference for colleges, universities, and policymakers, and provides a comparison of Texas state and federal student aid programs. Each section concentrates on a different issue or set of issues. As a reference document, it is designed such that each page stands on its own. Each page contains a title summarizing the page or highlighting a particular part of the page, a visual element, a brief write-up, and information on the sources used. Because each page stands on its own, the reader can use the table of contents to find the page or pages of interest without needing to read the entire document cover-to-cover. In fact, it was designed so that a page could be printed and taken to a meeting to ensure that everyone in the room is literally on the same page. The report begins by highlighting how the future of Texas will depend upon an educated populace, as an increasing percentage of jobs will require higher education. The second section reviews issues including Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates, college enrollment rates among high school graduates, and the importance of college prep programs in high school leading to enrolling in college. The next section provides a profile of Texas college students. The fourth section presents higher education costs by type and sector, showing that Texas remains lower than the nation for public and non-profit sectors. The last section outlines federal and state grant programs, with some breakouts by race/ethnicity and comparisons to other large states.