University of Phoenix Responds to ProPublica/Marketplace Investigation

The University of Phoenix has responded [1] (PDF) to our recent story on its enrollment practices [2], calling it a "nothing more than a series of anecdotes." We reported the story with Amy Scott of Marketplace and you can hear the resulting radio stories here [3] and here [4].

Colleges Can Benefit by Steering More Aid to the Needy, Studies Suggest (subscription)

Receiving financial aid appears to have a significant positive impact on the educational performance of college students from low-income families, but many higher-education institutions are bending to pressure to give aid to other students who do not necessarily need it, accordin …

College enrollment hits record, mostly thanks to 2-year schools

Overall college attendance has been going up for about 30 years; what's new is the sharp uptick at community colleges, driven in large part by recessionary bargain hunting and closer ties between two- and four-year colleges that give students more confidence they'll be able to tr …

News: Insult to Injury

Already wounded by budget reductions that came in July and before, college leaders are now scrambling to squeeze even more from coffers, daunted by the real expectation that there are further cuts still to come.

Obama community college proposal may not be enough

Arthur Call commutes three hours roundtrip to his anatomy class at community college because similar courses on campuses closer to his Indianapolis home are packed this semester.

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College Enrollment Set Record in 2008, Study Says

Almost 40 percent of the nation's 18- to 24-year-olds in 2008 were enrolled in college, a record number, according to a Pew Research Center report released on Thursday.

University of California intends to increase financial aid

President Mark G. Yudof announces plans to raise $1 billion in private funds over the next four years and to expand an existing aid program to more middle-income families.

Very few illegal immigrants use UW tuition deal

Very few students are taking advantage of a new law that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at University of Wisconsin System schools, according to university data.

College Tuition Costs Rise AGAIN

With the economy struggling, parents and students dared to hope this year might offer a break from rising college costs. Instead, they got another sharp increase.

Gap in educational success between rich and poor areas widening, says report

The gap in educational success between rich and poor areas of Britain is widening, despite investment of millions of pounds each year, according to research published today.

H.R. 3221: Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009

This site tracks the status of congressional bills in a straight-forward, easy to understand way.

Nobel Prize for Promises?

I was dismayed when I heard Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize. A shock, really, to think that a president carrying on wars in two countries and launching military action in a third country (Pakistan), would be given a peace prize.

Obama Aims to Boost Pell Grant Funding by $40 Billion

Under the House bill, the grants would rise with the consumer price index, plus 1 percentage point, starting in 2011. The estimated maximum award in 2019 would be $6,900.

Debating Cato on College Costs

Debate about college costs and the role of student aid.

College enrollments soar in Miami-Dade as jobs decline

As a side effect of Miami-Dade County's 11.7% unemployment, enrollment has soared at four colleges and universities here. The fall surge swept over Florida International University, Miami Dade College, St.

Undergrad enrollments up 7 percent in Mass.

Undergraduate enrollments are up 7 percent since last year across the state college and university system, and officials have moved more of their financial aid dollars into needs-based awards, the state Board of Higher Education learned at a meeting in Gardner yesterday.

UC Berkeley to pay consultant to find cost cuts

These short-term fixes, however, "are an unsustainable long-term financial strategy," Chancellor Robert Birgeneau said Friday in an announcement posted on the campus Web site. "We are now planning for a future that relies less on volatile state funding."

Prepaid College Savings Plans Might Not Cover All Costs

As a result, the 529 prepaid funds — not to be confused with 529 college savings plans that do not promise a specific return — grew into financial powerhouses, even though 7 of the 18 funds have closed to new investments over the years.

State student aid feels pinch

"In a poor state like Mississippi we just have a lot of people who can't afford to go to school full-time," said Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson. "People have to work and it takes longer to graduate....Life happens in that time period.

Student loan proposal makes college officials nervous

A bill before the U.S. Senate that would force colleges and universities to work with the federal government's direct loan program if they provide federal financial aid is making some Western Pennsylvania school officials nervous.

State colleges hope to avoid midyear surcharges

PROVIDENCE — Higher education officials say they plan to avoid imposing midyear surcharges or tuition increases on students to make up for recent state cuts to Rhode Island's three public colleges, and instead will save money by leaving open scores of positions and trimming s …

Bolder Steps are Needed to Help Low-Income Students Avoid Debt

Contrary to popular opinion, low income students do not get a free ride. Pell Grant recipients are forced to borrow more for their education than non-recipients even though they have a greater aversion to debt.

UW, Western criticize college tuition plan

The draft policy calls for the state to pay 55 percent of the cost to educate undergraduates and the universities would pay 45 percent.

News: What Works for the Needy

Those are the key findings of a paper, "Into College, Out of Poverty? Policies to Increase the Postsecondary Attainment of the Poor," published this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

US income gap widens as poor take hit in recession

The wealthiest 10 percent of Americans -- those making more than $138,000 each year -- earned 11.4 times the roughly $12,000 made by those living near or below the poverty line in 2008, according to newly released census figures.

About nhillman

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I am a graduate student at Indiana University Bloomington working on my PhD in Higher Education Policy Studies.

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  • Gap in educational success between rich and poor areas widening, says report

    The gap in educational success between rich and poor areas of Britain is widening, despite investment of millions of pounds each year, according to research published today.

  • Nobel Prize for Promises?

    I was dismayed when I heard Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize. A shock, really, to think that a president carrying on wars in two countries and launching military action in a third country (Pakistan), would be given a peace prize.

  • Obama Aims to Boost Pell Grant Funding by $40 Billion

    Under the House bill, the grants would rise with the consumer price index, plus 1 percentage point, starting in 2011. The estimated maximum award in 2019 would be $6,900.

  • College for $99 a Month

    In recent years, Americans have grown accustomed to living amid the smoking wreckage of various once-proud industries—automakers bankrupt, brand-name Wall Street banks in ruins, newspapers dying by the dozen.

  • Barack Obama - Rebuilding Something Better

    Nearly six months ago, my administration took office amid the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression. At the time, we were losing, on average, 700,000 jobs a month. And many feared that our financial system was on the verge of collapse.