Previous Posts
See How the Clearinghouse Makes Transcripts Easy at Ellucian Live
Stop by the Clearinghouse booth #119 at Ellucian Live in Denver on April 19-22 to talk to us about our time-savings transcript and data exchange services and other ways we can help you and your students. Plus, enter to win a pair of Ray-Ban® Meta (Gen 2) sunglasses! And don’t miss our sessions on how Ellucian eTranscripts can revolutionize your transcript management and drive efficiency and student success and our ETX Plus Solution Showcase.
Grant from Ascendium Helps Advance Clearinghouse Research
Having resources through grants gives the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center the capacity to invest in strong methodology, thoughtful analysis, and effective dissemination. A new grant from Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy is helping the Research Center broaden its work to better understand and elevate the experiences of students from low‑income communities.
April Schedule of Live Webinars
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in April 2026
Fewer than One in Five Students Who Began at Community Colleges Earned a Bachelor’s Degree Within Six Years
Community colleges serve as a key entry point to higher education, yet fewer than one in five students who start at community colleges earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Tracking Transfer report provides detailed insights into the transfer pathways and degree completion outcomes of community college students from the 2018 cohort.
Prepare for Medicaid Verifications with Trusted Education Data
The National Student Clearinghouse can help state agencies, and educational organizations meet the new Medicaid requirements by providing education data.
Faster Transcript Ordering for Scholarship Funds
Scholarship deadlines come and go quickly, leaving hardly any time for your scholarship fund to wait for students to send their transcripts. The National Student Clearinghouse has an easier and faster solution for ordering students’ transcripts — Third-Party Ordering for Ed Orgs.
The Data Exists, You’re Just Not Using It
Melba Amissi, Chief Customer and Operations Officer at the National Student Clearinghouse, recently joined Dr. Drumm McNaughton, CEO of The Change Leader, on the Changing Higher Ed podcast to discuss how colleges can transform national student data into actionable insights. During the conversation, she highlighted the need to support non-linear learner pathways, re engage students with some college but no degree, and reduce barriers through credit mobility, workforce alignment, and greater transparency.
March Schedule of Live Webinars
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in March 2026
Dual Enrollment: The Stories & Data Behind Student Success
Dual enrollment has emerged as one of the most influential predictors of long‑term student higher education success. Insights from recent National Student Clearinghouse research reports and data available to high school and district users through our StudentTracker service show that high school students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely to enroll in college and complete a postsecondary credential.
The Changing Landscape of Postsecondary Education
Postsecondary enrollment in fall 2025 grew by 1.0%, according to the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Final Fall Enrollment Trends report. However, students are shifting their preferences among fields of study, reflecting evolving career interests and workforce demands.
February Schedule of Live Webinars
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in February 2026
Finding Solutions for the “Summer Melt” With StudentTracker
Using StudentTracker, the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM) in South Carolina was able to gain accurate insights into student postsecondary enrollment, revealing a significant gap known as “summer melt” where many students intending to enroll in college do not actually do so. This data-driven approach enabled SAM to design targeted interventions and influence statewide policy changes to better support students transitioning from high school to college.
Research Center: Postsecondary Enrollment Rises as Academic Trends Shift
According to the Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights: Final Fall Enrollment Trends report, total postsecondary enrollment in the U.S. rose by 1.0% in fall 2025. The increase was primarily due to growth in undergraduate enrollment at community colleges and public four-year institutions. This year’s report also revealed a noteworthy shift in student enrollment patterns.
Cybersecurity at the Clearinghouse: A Look Back at 2025
The National Student Clearinghouse Office of Cybersecurity was named a Top 50 Information Security Team for the second consecutive year. This recognition highlights their dedication to maintaining the highest cybersecurity standards — and is among their key wins in 2025.
January Schedule of Live Webinars
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in January 2026.
Building a Cyber-Ready Campus
Institutions face increasing cybersecurity threats, like ransomware and data breaches, requiring a culture of cyber readiness that emphasizes people and habits alongside technology. In our webinar, “The Cyber Ready Campus: Empowering Higher Ed Staff for Digital Defense,” a panel of cybersecurity experts highlighted practical strategies to empower higher education staff in defending digital assets.
Six-Year College Completion Rates Remain Robust
According to the Yearly Progress and Completion report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, national six-year completion rates have now held steady for four consecutive cohorts, an encouraging sign of stability in higher education.
Turning Data into Direction with the PDP
In a webinar, Kathleen Boody, PDP Account Manager II at the National Student Clearinghouse, and Carrie Hodge, Director of Data Analysis at Complete College America, demonstrated what the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) is all about. That is, empowering institutions to act on their data.
December Schedule of Live Webinars
Check out the live webinars available from the Clearinghouse Academy in December 2025.
Data Dive: Spotlighting Gaps in Postsecondary Attainment
Data from the 2025 High School Benchmarks Report reveals differences in postsecondary enrollment and degree completion that are connected to high school poverty and income levels. These gaps impact both overall college attendance and STEM degree achievement, underscoring the importance of providing additional support and implementing policies that help address these challenges.