Our Mission


For more than five decades, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been the national voice for the graduate dean community. CGS is the only national organization in the United States that is dedicated solely to the advancement of graduate education and research. 

CGS accomplishes its mission through advocacy in the policy arena, innovative research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. CGS also acts as a convening authority, organizing major events that bring together graduate deans and other stakeholders to discuss and take action on a broad range of issues affecting graduate education today. 

 

Our Members


 

Institutional Members

The core of CGS membership consists of our institutional members, universities and colleges significantly engaged in graduate education, research, and scholarship culminating in the award of the master’s or doctoral degree. Currently, over 500 universities in the United States and Canada, and 25 universities outside the United States and Canada claim membership in CGS. Collectively, CGS institutions annually award more than 91 percent of all U.S. doctorates and over 81 percent of all U.S. master’s degrees. Please visit Become a Member to learn more about the benefits of institutional membership.

 

Corporate and Nonprofit Members

CGS also invites corporations and nonprofit organizations with strong investments in graduate education to apply for Corresponding or Sustaining Membership. Our corresponding members understand that graduate education is vitally important, and recognize the special role of graduate deans in the complex world of higher education. Our corporate membership program provides mutual benefit to corporations and graduate deans through closer relationships, opportunities for corporate visibility, and the exchange of relevant information. Learn More about our Corporate and Nonprofit Relationships.

 

Core CGS Activities


We invite you to explore research and education projects and member services in CGS' four core areas of activity:

 

Best Practices Initiatives


Drawing on research as well as the expertise and leadership of graduate deans at CGS member institutions, our Best Practice Initiatives test and develop solutions to pressing issues in graduate education.

 

Benchmarking


Benchmarking data and services help member institutions assess performance in specific areas of graduate education and research and make informed decisions that benefit students, faculty, and the institution as a whole.

 

Public Policy


As the national advocate for graduate education, CGS serves as a resource for policymakers and others on issues concerning graduate education, research and scholarship.

 

Global Engagement


CGS’ international activities are designed to help member institutions develop a global profile and network in the graduate education community and implement emerging best practices for internationalization of their campuses.

 

CGS Joins Letter Requesting Additional Coronavirus Relief for Institutions and Students (5/29/20)

On May 29, CGS joined a community letter to Senate leadership emphasizing the higher education community’s need for additional funding during the coronavirus emergency. The letter reiterates the $46.6 billion previously requested in an April letter CGS had also joined.

 

CGS Joins Letter Requesting COVID-19 Limited Liability Protections (5/28/20)

On May 28, CGS joined a community letter to congressional leadership requesting temporary and targeted liability protections to safeguard higher education institutions and their communities as colleges and universities work to safely reopen their doors.

 

CGS Supports the HEROES Act (5/14/20)

On May 14, CGS joined a higher education community letter in support of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act (H.R. 6800). The bill provides approximately $3 trillion in economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CGS Letter to DHS and DOS on International Graduate Students (5/13/2020)

On May 13, CGS sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State with recommendations and seeking additional guidance on issues related to the international graduate student pipeline during COVID-19.

 

CGS Joins Letter Requesting Technical Changes to CARES Act (5/8/20)

On May 7, CGS joined a higher education community letter to leadership of the House Education and Labor and Senate HELP committees requesting technical changes that would further improve provisions in the CARES Act. 

 

CGS Supports the American Opportunity Student Tax Relief Act (5/6/2020)

On May 7, CGS joined its higher education colleagues in supporting a bill introduced by Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) that would ensure emergency grants to students from the CARES Act are not taxed and makes improvements to the AOTC program.

 

Coalition Urges Additional Long-Term Support for NIH (4/27/2020)

On April 27, the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research coalition, of which CGS is a member, sent a letter requesting an additional $31 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help the United States recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Requested for future congressional emergency packages, the additional funding will address COVID-19-related research, short- and long-term investments to maintain and build the nation’s biomedical research enterprise, and continue NIH’s investments in disease research (coronavirus or other) through regular appropriations.

 

CGS Joins Higher Ed Community Letter on the Taxability of CARES Act Emergency Grants for Students (4/21/2020)

On April 21, CGS joined the higher education community in a letter to ensure CARES Act emergency student financial aid grants are not subject to taxation. 

 

CGS Joins Community Letters to House and Senate Requesting Relief for Student Loan Borrowers (4/20/2020)

On April 20, CGS joined the higher education community on letters to the House and Senate requesting relief for student loan borrowers. The letters urge relief for borrowers until June 30, 2021, or until the unemployment rates remain below 8 percent for three consecutive months. Among the proposals include requests to continue the zero-interest deferred payments for borrowers and the suspension of collection activities for borrowers who have defaulted on any type of federal loan provided under the CARES Act and to extend the post-graduation grace period for students leaving school.

 

CGS’s Requests for Future COVID-19 Legislation (4/17/2020)

On April 17, CGS sent letters to House and Senate leadership outlining policy recommendations and requests to be adopted in future legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the association requests $46.6 billion to assist students and institutions, additional funding for federal research grants and extensions, suspending taxation on student grant aid and scholarship, making federal student loan and repayment terms more feasible, and outlining concerns related to the international graduate student community.

 

CGS Joins the Higher Ed Community in Support of Additional Benefits for Student Veterans (4/13/2020)

On April 13, CGS joined the higher education community on a letter supporting the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. The bill would provide the Department of Veterans Affairs flexibility to address disruptions to veterans’ education benefits caused by COVID-19.

 

CGS Joins Higher Ed Community Letters to House and Senate with Requests for next COVID-19 Package (4/9/2020)

On April 9, CGS joined the higher education community on letters to the House and Senate requesting an additional $46.6 billion in emergency aid to institutions and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CGS Joins Higher Ed Community with Tax Policy Requests for Phase 4 (4/9/2020)

On April 9, CGS joined over 30 other higher education associations on a letter to House and Senate leadership with tax policy requests for the next COVID-19 stimulus bill.

 

Higher Education Community Advocates for Increased Telehealth and Telemental Health (4/2/2020)

On April 2, CGS joined a community letter urging state governors to temporarily suspend state-based licensing restrictions on health care and mental health care professionals to ensure access to sufficient health services (including those for students) during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

 

Community Letter in Support of Above-the-Line Deduction (3/23/20)

CGS joined a community letter commending Senator James Lankford (R-OK) for introducing an amendment to create an above-the-line deduction for charitable giving.  

 

Community Letter to Congress Calls for Emergency Aid for Students and Institutions (3/23/2020)

On March 23, CGS joined the higher education community in sending letters to House and Senate leadership urging Congress to actualize emergency relief to students, colleges, and universities in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The proposal requests emergency relief to students and institutions, access to low-cost capital, a technology relief fund, and administrative flexibility.

 

Letter to House Leadership Regarding Veterans’ Online Education Benefits (3/19/2020)

On March 16, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation, S. 3503, granting the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs authority to provide education benefits for veterans when approved education programs move online due to an emergency or health-related situation. Alongside 70 peer organizations, CGS urges House leadership to quickly pass the Senate’s bipartisan legislation, and in doing so, support student veterans in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CGS joined 42 other higher education organizations in encouraging the House of Representatives to pass the FUTURE Act, H.R. 5363. The bill is a new plan crafted by the Senate to permanently fund Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority-Serving Institutions for which funding expired October 1. The agreement would also simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and streamline income-driven repayment.  

 

On December 9, CGS joined the higher education community in expressing support for several tax fixes to be included in end of the year negotiations in Congress. The requests included fixing unintended consequences from changes to the so-called “kiddie tax,” reenacting tuition deduction and repealing the new parking and endowment taxes.

 

CNSF Letter to Appropriations Leadership Re: FY 2020 (10/25/2019)

On October 25, the Coalition for National Science Funding sent a letter to House and Senate appropriations committee leadership urging them to complete the FY 2020 Commerce-Justice-Science bill and to provide the National Science Foundation with at least $8.6 billion.

 

Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research FY 2020 Letter (10/24/2019)

On October 24, CGS joined an Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research coalition letter addressed to leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees urging them to swiftly agree to increasing the LHHS-ED allocation for FY 2020, which would boost funding for the National Institutes of Health.

 

CGS Letter to Education & Labor Committee on the College Affordability Act (10/28/19)

On October 28, CGS submitted a letter to the House Committee on Education and Labor in response to the introduction of the College Affordability Act, which would reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The bill includes measures to expand support for graduate education, including allowing graduate students to allocate remaining semesters of Pell support towards their graduate degree, reinstating subsidized loans for graduate students, and increasing support for HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs, and other MSIs.

 

CGS Joins Community Letter in Response to the College Affordability Act (10/28/2019)

CGS signed a higher education community letter expressing support and concern for provisions contained within the House’s College Affordability Act, which would reauthorize the Higher Education Act.

 

Community Letters to House and Senate Urge Passage of the FUTURE Act (9/17/2019)

CGS, along with 42 other organizations, sent a letter to leadership in the House of Representatives and the Senate urging passage of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act (H.R. 2486), which would extend vital, mandatory funding for STEM programs at HBCUs, HSIs, MSIs, and TCUs. Funding expires September 30, 2019 if an extension is not passed into law.

 

CGS-Led Community Letter in Support of Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act (8/15/2019)

On August 15, CGS led a community letter to the co-sponsors of the Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act (H.R. 3334). The legislation would allow graduate students, who received Pell Grants as undergraduates, to continue allocating unused semesters of support towards a graduate degree.

 

Community Letter on College Hunger Legislation (8/1/2019)

On August 1, CGS joined the higher education community in support of the College Student Hunger Act of 2019 (S. 2143/H.R. 3809). The legislation expands Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access to eligible colleges students, including a portion of graduate students.  

 

CGS Supports House and Senate Bills to Address Campus Food Insecurity (7/30/2019)

On July 30, CGS sent a letter of support the College Student Hunger Act of 2019 (H.R. 3809/S.2143), which would expand eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include Pell Grant-eligible and certain independent students, as well as those who have an expected family contribution of zero. The letters applaud the cosponsors for addressing the critical issue of food insecurity in higher education, but also urges them to reconsider the definition of “independent student” to increase eligibility for a broader range of graduate students.

 

CGS Supports Teacher Prep Legislation (7/30/2019)

On July 30, CGS sent a letter in support of the Teacher Education for Computer Science Act (H.R. 3808), which would provide funding to improve the training of graduate-prepared computer science teachers at U.S. graduate schools.

 

CGS Supports House and Senate Bills on College Student Mental Health (7/23/2019)

On July 23, CGS sent letters in support of the Higher Education Mental Health Act of 2019 (H.R. 3489/S. 1204), which would create a national commission aimed at improving services available to students with mental health issues. The letter urges the lawmakers to remain aware of the unique needs of graduate students, “non-traditional” students, and student veterans. CGS has previously supported the legislation when it was introduced in the 115^th Congress.

 

Community Letter Urges Support for Graduate Education in HEA Reauthorization (7/15/2019)

On July 15, CGS joined the higher education community in a letter to key lawmakers in the House and Senate urging them to prioritize graduate and professional education as they work on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA). Specifically, the letter calls out federal programs that provide financial assistance for graduate students, including Grad PLUS.

 

CGS Supports Bill Eliminating Student Loan Fees (7/12/2019)

On July 12, CGS sent a letter of support to the cosponsors of the Fee Free Student Loan Act (H.R. 3674), which would eliminate origination fees on all federal student loans. 

 

CGS Supports Bill to Reinstate Subsidized Loans for Graduate Students (7/3/2019)

On July 3, CGS sent a letter to Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) in support of H.R. 3418, the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act, which would again make graduate students eligible for subsidized federal student loans. 

 

CGS Supports Elimination of Origination Fees on Student Loans (7/1/2019)

On July 1, CGS sent a letter in support of S.1696, Student Loan Tax Elimination Act which would eliminate origination fees on all federal student loans. Graduate students currently pay multiple origination fees.

 

Community Letter Calls on Senate to Pass Dream Act (6/27/2019)

On June 27, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter urging the Senate to pass the Dream Act of 2019 (S.874), which would provide permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, including those currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. CGS had supported the legislation upon reintroduction earlier this year, as well as in previous Congresses. 

 

CGS-Led Community Letter on Grad PLUS Program (6/26/2019)

On June 26, CGS led a community letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee urging members to preserve the Grad PLUS loan program as they consider the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The letter highlights the importance of Grad PLUS in enabling graduate and professional students to finance their education. 

 

Community Letter Supports Passage of FY 2020 Education and Science Funding (6/19/2019)

On June 19, CGS joined the higher education community in a letter to House leadership in support of a Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Appropriations package which includes strong funding levels for student aid, research, and workforce programs. The legislation passed the House later that day.

 

CGS Applauds Introduction of the Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act (6/20/2019)

On June 20, CGS sent a letter to Representatives Ann Kuster (D-NH), Fred Upton (R-MI), Kim Schrier (D-WA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Harley Rouda (D-CA) thinking them for introducing H.R. 3334 Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act. The bill would allow graduate students to allocate unused semesters of Pell Grant support towards their graduate degree. CGS has long advocated for this proposal.

 

CGS Joins Coalition Letter Supporting Legislation to Protect Federally-Funded Research (6/17/2019)

On June 17, CGS signed onto a coalition letter in support of the Securing American Science and Technology Act of 2019, which would create an interagency working group to evaluate current oversight of federally funded research and develop a policy framework to address security needs. The bill would also create a roundtable to encourage collaboration between the federal government and institutions of higher education around these issues, something the higher education community has been particularly supportive of in the past. 

 

Community Letter in Support of Dream and Promise Act (6/3/2019)

On June 3, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter in support of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which would provide permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenships to undocumented individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children, including those currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The letter urges the House to pass the legislation.

 

Community Letter on FY 2020 International Education Funding (5/28/2019)

On May 28, CGS signed onto a Coalition for International Education letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee asking them to provide $106.1 million in funding for International Education and Foreign Language Studies, including $95.7 million for HEA-Title VI and $10.4 million for Fulbright-Hays programs, as part of their Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 spending bill.

 

Coalition Letter on Two-Year Budget Deal (5/17/2019)

On May 17, several science and research coalitions of which CGS is a member sent a letter to the President and Congressional leadership urging them to work together on a two-year bipartisan agreement to raise the discretionary spending caps. The letter stresses the critical need for federal investment in scientific research. 

 

CGS Supports Increases in FY 2020 Higher Education and Research Funding (5/10/2019)

On May 10, CGS sent a letter to leaders of the House Appropriations Committee commending passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, which the committee reported out on May 8. The letter specifically supports increases to student financial aid, research, and workforce programs critical to graduate education and economic demands.

 

CGS Statement for the Record in House Education Hearing (5/9/2019)

On May 9, CGS submitted a statement for the record in a House Education and Labor Higher Education Subcommittee hearing titled, “The Cost of Non-Completion: Improving Student Outcomes in Higher Education." As a way to encourage completion of both an undergraduate and graduate degree, CGS urged the subcommittee to consider allowing individuals, who remain income-eligible, to utilize remaining semesters of Pell Grants towards a graduate degree.

 

Community Letter in Support of FY 2020 Higher Ed and Research Funding (5/7/2019)

On May 7, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter to leaders of the House Appropriations Committee thanking them for their work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill. The measure provides increases in funding for several student financial assistance and research programs of importance to graduate education.

 

CGS Supports Funding Increase for Science and Research (5/2/2019)

On May 2, CGS submitted a letter supporting H.R. 2400, the American Innovation Act, introduced by Representative Bill Foster (D-IL). The legislation would increase the budget of five federal agencies conducting science and research—including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy Office of Science—by five percent annually.

 

CGS Supports Bill to Increase Funding for Biomedical Research (5/2/2019)

On May 2, CGS sent a letter supporting H.R. 2401, the American Cures Act, introduced by Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL). The bill would provide annual budget increases of five percent four federal biomedical research agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

 

CGS Joins Higher Ed Community in Supporting of the Dream Act of 2019 (4/4/2019)

On April 4, CGS signed onto a higher education community letter in support of the recently reintroduced Dream Act, which would grant legal status and a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children including those currently protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. CGS has also supported this legislation when it was introduced in previous years. 

 

CGS Joins CNSF Letter Supporting a Two-Year Budget Deal (3/28/2019)

On March 28, CGS, as member of the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), joined a letter to Congressional and Administration leaders urging them to enact a two-year bipartisan budget agreement that increases the spending caps for discretionary programs. Specifically, the letter calls out the need for a budget deal to avoid cuts to funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the importance of sustained federal investment in the critical work done by the agency. 

 

CGS Statement for the Record in House Hearing (3/25/2019)

On March 25, CGS submitted a statement for the record in a House Education and Labor Committee hearing titled, “The Cost of College: Student Centered Reforms to Bring Higher Education Within Reach.” The testimony urges the committee to maintain and not place borrowing limits on the Grad PLUS loan program, voices support for a proposal allowing Pell to be used towards graduate studies and calls for enhancing other student aid and repayment programs.

 

Community Letter on Dream and Promise Act (3/20/2019)

On March 20, CGS signed onto community letter to Congressional leaders in support of H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act of 2019, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, including those who are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

 

Coalition Calls for Increased FY 2020 Funding for Student Aid Programs (3/18/2019)

On March 18, the Student Aid Alliance, of which CGS is a member, sent a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Labor, HHS, and Education Subcommittees urging them to continue and strengthen funding for student aid programs. The letter provides specific Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 funding level requests, including increases to the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program, TRIO, and Pell Grants.

 

CGS Joins Coalition Letter on FY 2020 NSF Funding Request (3/14/2019)

On March 14, CGS joined its Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) colleagues on a letter to key House and Senate appropriators recommending a $9 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriation for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The letter stresses the need to increase funding for the work done by NSF, including for graduate STEM education, to maintain American global competitiveness in research and innovation.

 

CGS Joins Letter Thanking Congress for FY 2019 NSF Funding (2/25/2019)

On February 25, as a member of the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), CGS joined a letter to Congressional leaders thanking them for passing a Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 spending package, which provides $8 billion in funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF).

 

CGS Offers Comments on Access and Financial Disparities (2/13/2019)

On Wednesday, February 13, CGS submitted comments in response to a solicitation from a group of senators around disparities faced by students of color when accessing and financing their postsecondary education. The letter underscores the need to continue to diversify graduate programs to address our changing population and the demands of the workforce, and reiterates CGS’s commitment to achieving this goal. Specifically, it highlights a proposal to allow graduate students who remain income-eligible to apply Pell Grants toward their graduate degree, as well as the need to support several current student aid programs that help students from underserved populations finance higher education.

 

Coalition Letter on Government Shutdown (1/23/2019)

On Wednesday, January 23, CGS joined a Coalition for National Science Funding letter to the President and Congressional leaders calling on them to end the partial government shutdown and fund the National Science Foundation (NSF). The letter voices concerns around the impact of the funding lapse on science and research conduct by NSF and other federal agencies. 

 

CGS Welcome Letter to 116th Congress (1/15/2019)

On January 15, CGS sent letters to members of the House and Senate welcoming them to the 116th Congress. The letters introduce CGS to new and returning Members, highlight our principals around policies of importance to graduate education, and urge policymakers to consider us a resource as these issues arise. 

 

• Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions: A Report from the Council of Graduate Schools
• CGS Webinar: Holistic Review in Graduate Admissions (February 2016)

 

Identifying talented students poised to succeed is the first step in building a strong graduate program. Graduate schools invest considerable resources and apply different methods to determine who among their applicants represents the best fit with the program. Holistic review of individual applicants includes non-cognitive and personal attributes, which some have also correlated with increasing access to graduate education and improving the success rates of master’s and doctoral students.

 

Implementing holistic review processes across all graduate programs can be challenging, however, due to the perception that it introduces new time burdens and inefficiencies. A recurring discussion among graduate deans is how to encourage programs and departments to engage in the review of a broader range of admissions criteria, rather than focusing simply on one or two indicators of potential student success. Innovations in graduate applications and enrollment management present an opportunity for graduate schools to collaborate with faculty to advance more comprehensive and thoughtful admissions processes to strengthen graduate programs.

 

Project Goals

 

With support from Hobsons, CGS launched a preliminary one-year study to better understand current holistic graduate application processes. CGS garnered input from its member institutions to explore the current state of holistic graduate admissions processes, future trends, and implications of new technologies for achieving improvements in graduate admissions and student success rates.

 

Press Releases

 

New Report Highlights Promise of Holistic Graduate Admissions to Increase Diversity

 

Resources

 

CGS has compiled helpful resources for institutions, deans, and program directors seeking more information about solutions and challenges in holistic graduate admissions. Because few resources currently exist on graduate schools’ admissions criteria and processes, this list includes resources for professional programs as well.

 

Contacts

 

Julia Kent

 

In collaboration with:

CGS Best Practices programs in graduate admissions and enrollment management.

 

Innovation in Graduate Admissions through Holistic Review

In collaboration with Hobsons, CGS conducted a pilot study of best practices in non-cognitive assessments that promote good fit between students and programs.

 

 

Master’s Admission Attribute Study

The purpose of the study is to identify desired attributes of master’s degree candidates and to assess the effectiveness of the current evidence used to evaluate those attributes.

 

Contact:

Nate Thompson
nthompson@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791

 

Washington, D.C. — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), in collaboration with Hobsons, today announced a new initiative to better understand current holistic graduate application processes. With input from its member institutions, CGS will explore the implications of new technologies for achieving improvements in graduate admissions and student success rates.

 

As graduate institutions focus increasing attention on identifying and developing talent, the process of “whole-file” or holistic review is becoming more important. Holistic review of individual applicants is a process by which programs consider a broad range of admissions criteria when selecting applicants, including non-cognitive and personal attributes.

 

At the Council of Graduate Schools’ Annual Meeting in Washington, DC today, CGS President Suzanne T. Ortega announced, “With this project, CGS reaffirms its commitment to enhancing the quality of graduate education from admissions to completion and into careers. Understanding the practices and value of holistic review will help graduate institutions develop a broader understanding of the applicant qualities that translate into student success.”

 

Many leaders in graduate education believe that some version of holistic review has the potential to help universities achieve a more appropriate match between programs and students, to improve access to graduate education, and to improve the success rates of students who enter graduate programs at the master’s and doctoral levels. A recurring discussion among graduate deans is how to encourage programs and departments to engage in the review of a broader range of admissions criteria, rather than focusing on a few indicators of potential student success.

 

“Core to our mission at Hobsons is the belief that we can help improve long-term student outcomes by helping academic institutions to more effectively and efficiently find right-fit applicants during the admissions process,” said Stephen M. Smith, President of Advising and Admissions Solutions at Hobsons.  “We’re proud to support the work of CGS to increase access to graduate education through improved matching of students to higher education options.”

 

The year-long project will include a survey of over 500 universities on their current practices and emerging needs in graduate application review, a white paper exploring the current state of holistic review processes and the value of using such approaches, and a two-day intensive workshop of researchers, graduate deans, admissions professionals and other experts on the subject of holistic application review.

The CGS Occasional Paper Series includes case studies highlighting the achievements, best practices, and lessons learned of CGS awardees and grant recipients in ensuring success in graduate education.

 

While these occasional papers foreground the achievements of particular universities, we publish these case study narratives and strategies to inspire and inform other universities. A particular emphasis of this series is to highlight member achievements in fostering an inclusive graduate community and diversifying graduate education.

 

Extending the Pipeline: Model Programs for Enhancing Diversity and Inclusiveness in Graduate School at the University of Memphis

University of Memphis, 2010

 

Extending the Pipeline analyzes the presence of underrepresented populations at University of Memphis and sought to create a model program to successfully recruit a diverse graduate student population and make recommendations for enhancing diversity in the future. Learn more.

 

A Data-Driven Approach to Improving Doctoral Completion

University of Georgia, 2009

 

This paper discusses the University of Georgia’s development of a conceptual model for approaching doctoral completion, the roles of a university’s administration in providing leadership and support, and strategies that graduate school administration and doctoral program faculty members can utilize in the areas of recruiting, admissions, advising, and providing a supportive environment for doctoral students. Learn more.

 

The University as Mentor: Lessons Learned from UMBC Inclusiveness Initiatives

University of Maryland-Baltimore, 2007

 

The University as Mentor outlines the key actions that the University of Maryland Baltimore County has taken to achieve an inclusive graduate community and presents ten “lessons learned” and practical advice intended to be accessible and applicable to other universities. Learn more.

These graduate education information slides were prepared for use in presentations to a wide variety of audiences, including campus administrators, co ...

Shifts Emerge in Student Demographics, Fields of Study

 

Contact:
Julia Kent
jkent@cgs.nche.edu
(202) 223-3791

 

Washington, DC — The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) today reported that first-time enrollment of international students at U.S. graduate institutions has grown for the fifth consecutive year. Between 2013 and 2014, first-time enrollment of international graduate students increased by 8%, while total graduate enrollment also increased by 8%. The findings are based on the 2014 CGS International Graduate Enrollment Survey, Phase III: Final Offers of Admission and Enrollment.

 

The new data indicate that U.S. graduate programs continue to be a destination of choice for many of the world’s prospective graduate students, despite increasing global competition to attract top talent. This trend is consistent with a growth in applications from prospective international students, which has grown each year over the past nine years.

 

CGS President Suzanne Ortega noted that the growth trends may also reflect the fact that U.S. graduate institutions have become more strategic about recruiting international students to their campuses. “Given the growing international competition for top students, U.S. institutions have been developing new ways of communicating with prospective students and offering students who matriculate stronger support services after they arrive. Universities understand that they can’t afford to lose the contributions of these talented students to research and innovation on their campuses.”

 

Despite the general upward trend of first-time enrollments of international graduate students, survey findings also indicate emerging shifts in students’ countries of origin and fields of study. For example, first-time enrollment of students from India increased 27%, marking the second year in a row of double-digit growth in first-time enrollments of students from that country. The increase in Indian enrollment offset a 1% dip in first-time enrollments of students from China in 2014, the first decline measured since the survey was initiated in 2004. This change in Chinese first-time enrollment concerns a relatively large number of students, since Chinese students constitute 33 percent of the total enrollment of international graduate students in the U.S.

 

The survey report also provides a glimpse of shifts in interest in various fields of study. Fields that have historically drawn a high proportion of graduate students, physical & earth sciences and engineering, showed the highest growth in first-time enrollment for 2014, at 20% and 11% respectively. On the other hand, arts and humanities programs, not traditionally associated with international graduate students, have shown modest but steady gains in first-time enrollment, increasing by 3% for 2014, and following gains of 9% for 2012-2013, 5% for 2011-2012, and 5% for 2010-2011. A 2% increase in first-time enrollment in business marks a slowing down of growth documented earlier in this field, which had seen an increase in first-time enrollment of 6% for 2012-2013, 15% for 2011-2012, and 9% for 2010-2011.

 

Trends by country/region of origin

 

Substantial variations in growth were found among the sending countries and regions analyzed in the study:

• First-time enrollment of students from India increased 27% in 2014, following a 40% increase in first-time enrollment in 2013.
• First-time enrollment of Chinese students decreased 1% in 2014.
• First-time enrollment of students from Brazil increased 91% in 2014, following a 17% increase in 2013 and a 14% increase in 2012. It should be noted that these increases concern a relatively small number of students.
• First-time graduate enrollment of students from South Korea and Taiwan declined 7% and 8% respectively in 2014.
• Changes in first-time graduate enrollment of students from the Middle East were the largest among the three regions followed (8%), a trend that has been consistent for the past three years.

 

Trends by broad field of study

 

First-time enrollment of international graduate students increased in all but one of the fields for which the survey collects data. Survey data showed a 1% decrease in first-time enrollment of international students in education, although it is important to note that the number of international students pursuing graduate studies in this field is relatively small compared with other fields. The largest gains in enrollment occurred in physical and earth sciences (20%) and engineering (11%), followed by life sciences (7%), arts and humanities (3%), ‘other’ fields (2%), business (2%), and social sciences and psychology (2%). Changes in first-time enrollment by field are shown in the table below.

 

Field	Increases in International First-Time Enrollment, 2013 to 2014
Arts & Humanities	3%
Business	2%
Education	-1%
Engineering	11%
Life Sciences	7%
Physical & Earth Sciences*	20%
Social Sciences & Psychology	2%
Other Fields	2%

*Includes Mathematics and Computer Sciences

 

International first-time graduate enrollment increased at both public institutions and private, not-for-profit institutions in 2014. At public institutions, international first-time graduate enrollment increased 9% in 2014 following an 11% gain in 2013, while at private not-for-profit institutions, international first-time graduate enrollment increased 6% in 2014 following an 8% increase in 2013.

 

About the report

 

Findings from the 2014 CGS International Graduate Admissions Survey, Phase III: Final Offers of Admission and Enrollment is based on the third phase of a three-part annual survey of international graduate student applications, admissions, and enrollment among U.S. member institutions. The survey had a response rate of 62%, including 80 of the 100 institutions that award the largest number of graduate degrees to international students. The report is posted at http://www.cgsnet.org/benchmarking/international-graduate-admissions-survey. Overall, the 308 institutions responding to the Phase III survey conferred 67% of the approximately 109,000 graduate degrees awarded to international students in the United States in 2011/12.

 

Attrition in U.S. graduate programs is a tremendous waste of American's financial resources and human energies.

 

Increasing demand for workers with advanced training at the graduate level, an inadequate domestic talent pool, and a small representation of women and minority graduates at all education levels are among some growing concerns over workforce issues that relate to the vitality and competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Improving completion rates for all doctoral students, and particularly for those from underrepresented groups, is vital to meeting our nation's present and future workforce needs.

 

Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (DIMAC)

There is a general underrepresentation of minority students—particularly African American, American Indian, and Hispanic students—in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at the graduate level. The problem of underrepresentation in doctoral education and the academic workforce is exacerbated by the fact that attrition rates from doctoral programs tend to be very high. The Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (DIMAC), which is funded by the National Science Foundation, will examine patterns of completion and attrition among underrepresented minorities in STEM doctoral programs across 21 institutions.

 

Master's Completion Project

Master’s education is the fastest growing and largest part of the graduate education enterprise in the United States, yet we lack key information regarding master’s completion and attrition rates and factors contributing to student success. To begin to address that gap, CGS launched a new project in November 2010 to study Completion and Attrition in STEM Master’s Programs.

 

Ph.D. Completion Project

The Ph.D. Completion Project is a seven-year, grant-funded project that addresses the issues surrounding Ph.D. completion and attrition. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), with generous support from Pfizer Inc and the Ford Foundation, provided funding in two phases to 29 major U.S. and Canadian research universities to create intervention strategies and pilot projects, and to evaluate the impact of these projects on doctoral completion rates and attrition patterns.

In an effort to increase participation and success of underrepresented groups in graduate education, CGS strives to ensure that inclusiveness is advanced across all CGS programs and activities. The programs and publications listed below have a specific focus on issues of diversity and inclusiveness.

 

Doctoral Initiative on Minority Attrition and Completion (DIMAC)

The National Science Foundation’s Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program aims to address this problem by providing supports that can help underrepresented minorities complete their doctoral studies and find employment as faculty at American institutions of higher education. Evaluations of the AGEP program indicate that the numbers of underrepresented minority students enrolling in STEM doctoral programs have increased over time, but the research conducted to date has not tied the activities and initiatives of the AGEP institutions to student success, particularly completion rates.

Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program prepares low-income, first-generation in college, and minority students to pursue doctoral degrees and careers in college teaching.

 

The Ph.D. Completion Project

The underrepresentation of women and minority graduates at all education levels are among some growing concerns over workforce issues that relate to the vitality and competitiveness of the U.S. economy. Improving completion rates for all doctoral students, and particularly for those from underrepresented groups, is vital to meeting our nation's present and future workforce needs. The Ph.D. Completion Project is a seven-year, grant-funded project that addresses the issues surrounding Ph.D. completion and attrition, including issues faced by underrepresented students.

 

ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion

This program recognizes promising efforts in initiating or scaling up innovations in graduate education that occur from admission through successful completion of a degree program. It is designed to link innovative admissions practices with other institutional practices including, but not limited to, mentoring, support programs, intellectual enrichment, and social support, that will improve student success once students are enrolled in their graduate programs. This award program is especially interested in encouraging innovations that promise to improve the success of a diverse and inclusive student population.

 

Broadening Participation in Graduate Education

This report highlights programs that been able to successfully enhance diversity and inclusiveness in graduate education, including policy recommendations aimed at identifying and cultivating talent from traditionally underrepresented groups.

 

Building an Inclusive Graduate Community: A Statement of Principles

This statement of principles outlines the Council's position on values and practices that are essetial to building an inclusive graduate community.

CGS Occasional Paper Series

The CGS Occasional Paper Series includes case studies highlighting the achievements, best practices, and lessons learned of CGS awardees and grant recipients in ensuring success in graduate education, focusing specifically on inclusiveness and diversity in graduate education.