For-profit colleges wasted no time in challenging the U.S. Education Department over the latest version of its gainful-employment rule, filing a lawsuit on Thursday in the U.S. District Court here that seeks to overturn the measure. The rule, which the department released last week, will judge career-oriented programs on the basis of their graduates’ ability … Continue reading
Tagged with financial aid …
As Stricter Default Standard Looms, Community Colleges Brace for Impacts
Starting this fall, colleges will be held to a higher standard for keeping their student-loan borrowers out of default, and that has some student-aid administrators very nervous. Colleges that fall short could lose their eligibility to award federal student aid, the lifeblood of most colleges. That looming threat made managing default rates a hot topic … Continue reading
Fixing the Fafsa, a Popular Idea, Makes Its Way to Congress
A two-question application for federal student aid—that’s the premise behind proposed legislation from two U.S. senators who hope a streamlined form will encourage more students, especially those from lower-income backgrounds, to apply for student aid. In a news conference on Thursday, Sen. Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, and Sen. Michael F. Bennet, Democrat of Colorado, outlined … Continue reading
7 in 10 Undergraduates Get Financial Aid, New Data From a Major Federal Study Show
The percentage of undergraduates who use financial aid to help pay for college and the average annual aid amount both went up in the first few years after the economic downturn began, federal data released on Tuesday confirm. Seventy-one percent of undergraduates received some form of aid in the 2011-12 academic year, up from 66 … Continue reading
5 Years On, Renewed Higher-Ed Act Has Lost Its Luster
Five years ago this week, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, the major law governing federal student aid. The 1,158-page bill, which was itself five years in the making, was expected to leave a lasting imprint on American higher education, holding colleges and states accountable for skyrocketing … Continue reading
Competency-Based Education Advances With U.S. Approval of Program
Last month the U.S. Education Department sent a message to colleges: Financial aid may be awarded based on students’ mastery of “competencies” rather than their accumulation of credits. That has major ramifications for institutions hoping to create new education models that don’t revolve around the amount of time that students spend in class. Now one of … Continue reading
Biden and College Presidents Talk About Paying the Bills
The Obama administration is pushing hard this week to keep the spotlight on its efforts to make college more affordable. On Tuesday, administration officials met with 10 college presidents who have agreed to include a consumer-friendly “shopping sheet” in the financial aid packages they send to incoming students. Although the Education Department and the Consumer … Continue reading
The Ph.D. Now Comes With Food Stamps
“I am not a welfare queen,” says Melissa Bruninga-Matteau. That’s how she feels compelled to start a conversation about how she, a white woman with a Ph.D. in medieval history and an adjunct professor, came to rely on food stamps and Medicaid. Ms. Bruninga-Matteau, a 43-year-old single mother who teaches two humanities courses at Yavapai … Continue reading
More Students Are Enrolled in College and on Financial Aid, Annual Report Shows
The number of students enrolled in college and the proportion who receive financial aid are both increasing, as are graduation rates, slightly, according to a report of 2010 data published on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education. The “First Look” report, “Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2010; Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2010; and Graduation Rates, … Continue reading
California May Require Higher Grades for Grants
California Gov. Jerry Brown wants to raise the minimum grade point average to qualify for state-funded student aid, directing scarce resources to students who are the most likely to graduate. However, the state’s Legislative Analyst believes the change will hurt the neediest students. The governor would raise the minimum GPA from 3.0 to 3.25 to qualify for Cal … Continue reading
