College Affordability: Insights and Solutions from Texas Students and Postsecondary Leaders

Key Findings

Excelencia’s interviews with two groups: 1) students and 2) administrators/institutional leaders at the nine Seal-certified institutions in Texas revealed key insights into college affordability.

• Students are pragmatic in paying for college: Students prioritize financial stability and seek debt-free solutions, often opting for scholarships/grants and work-study over loans. While administrators view loans as strategic tools, students remain loan-averse due to concerns about debt.

• Student engagement across departments is transformative for students: Both groups agree on the importance of financial aid, but students find the most valuable information about scholarships and financial aid through academic departments rather than institutional outreach.

• Basic needs are crucial: Non-tuition costs, like housing, food, and transportation, are significant barriers, with students often foregoing paying for one over the other.

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) simplification posed challenges. The recent FAFSA simplification brought significant delays for students, families, and practitioners. Texas policies reflect these issues, as the state balances increasing costs with a commitment to keeping student debt manageable, though challenges remain in funding equity and affordability.

Recommendations

Students and institutional leaders share a commitment to improving college affordability, though they approach the challenge from different perspectives. Students emphasize the need for direct, practical support—such as affordable payment options, basic needs coverage, and personalized guidance. In contrast, presidents and administrators focus on broader structural reforms—including expanding public investment, advocating for adjustment of federal policies, and realigning institutional practices to address affordability at scale. Both groups recognize the importance of financial education and support services, highlighting opportunities for alignment that center student needs while advancing systemic change.

Students recommend that institutions:

• Provide more affordable options, such as income-based scholarships and flexible payment plans, alongside clearer communication and targeted outreach;

• Offer affordable housing, dining, and parking, while increasing staffing in key departments like financial aid to meet basic needs; and

• Strengthen first-year guidance in advising and continued support through mentorship and financial literacy programs.

  
  

Presidents and administrators recommend that state and federal policy:

• Cover tuition for students from families earning under $100,000 and expand promise programs;

• Expand Pell Grant support and adjust Pell lifetime limits to serve post-traditional students;

• Increase funding predictability and support student success initiatives, such as the College Cost Recovery Act;

• Realign financial aid policies to curb tuition inflation and coordinate funding more effectively to better support Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs);

• Control off-campus housing options and enhance transportation systems; and

• Require financial education for graduation and promote the value of diverse postsecondary degrees.