Doubling Graduation Rates: Emergency Aid & Student Success at Compton College

Every year, 3 million students leave college due to financial barriers – often for needs that could be resolved with less than $1,000 in aid. Emergency aid helps students overcome unexpected expenses and significantly improves their chances of graduating. 

This case study examines how Compton College used emergency aid to double graduation rates and support students facing financial crises. 

The Challenge: Traditional Financial Aid Isn’t Enough—and Timing is Everything 

The traditional college student model – young, living on campus, focused solely on studies – is no longer the norm. Many students balance work, family, and education, and basic needs insecurity is a widespread issue. Federal data shows:

• 23% of undergraduate students experience food insecurity  

• 8% of undergraduate students experience homelessness 

• These challenges are even more severe at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and for-profit institutions.

For students facing financial emergencies, timing is everything – a grant received within 24 hours can mean the difference between staying in school and dropping out. At Compton College, where 85% of students are Black or Latinx and 90% rely on financial aid, emergency aid proved to be a game-changer. 

The Solution: Emergency Grants Doubled Graduation Rates 

To eliminate bottlenecks, Compton College partnered with Beam to implement a streamlined, algorithm-driven emergency aid system that: 

• Approved applications within 24 hours based on real-time financial need. 

• Deposited funds directly into students’ bank accounts or provided prepaid debit cards. 

• Prioritized students facing material hardship (e.g., housing insecurity, lack of transportation). 

• Implemented a randomized system to fairly distribute limited aid among equally qualified students. 

 The impact was immediate: 

• Fast aid delivery: Students received emergency grants in less than 48 hours. 

• Targeted support: Aid went to those most at risk of dropping out. 

• Better outcomes: Grant recipients were twice as likely to graduate as non-recipients.
  

As Compton College President Keith Curry put it: “Students like the app. They like that people are trying to find ways to support them. The data tells the story.” 

The Next Steps: Scaling Emergency Aid for Greater Impact 

With the success of the initial pilot, Compton College plans to expand its emergency aid program, awarding an additional $3 million through Beam’s platform. 

Speed and accessibility are critical – funds distributed within 48 hours or less have the most significant impact on student persistence. By automating aid distribution and eliminating administrative delays, colleges can ensure that students in crisis get the support they need, when they need it. 

At Scholarship America, This is How We Think About Emergency Aid  

Like Compton College, Scholarship America is proud to partner with Beam to bring faster, more equitable emergency aid solutions to students across the country. 

This partnership is the next evolution in our 20 years of providing emergency financial assistance – helping colleges and organizations to keep students enrolled when unexpected costs threaten their education. 

A small intervention can prevent a major crisis, whether it’s a $300 license fee that allows a student to secure employment or a $500 grant that prevents eviction. 

Watch our video, One Scholarship Away, to meet four students whose college and career dreams nearly ended due to sudden financial crises. Thanks to emergency aid, they stayed on track to graduate.

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