Why Have College Completion Rates Increased?

College completion rates declined from the 1970s to the 1990s. They document that this trend has reversed--since the 1990s, college completion rates have increased. They investigate the reasons for the increase in college graduation rates. Collectively, student characteristics, institutional resources, and institution attended do not explain much of the change. However, they document that standards for degree receipt may explain some of the change in graduation rates.