Dr. Lauren Schudde is a sociologist of education whose research examines which practices and policies are most effective for improving educational attainment, with an emphasis on what works where, for whom, and in which contexts. A few examples of her work in this regard include: a study of the impact of tying academic standards to need-based financial aid on the college outcomes of community college students, an investigation of the political and ecological factors play in the community college transfer process, and an examination of variation in the returns to community college credits. In these projects, she examine how policies, practices, and campus environments can produce barriers to student success, particularly among subgroups who are underrepresented in postsecondary education.