According to this report in The Washington Post, consultants retained by the University of Virginia (UVA) have delivered a warning to the university: it is falling behind its competitors. Moreover, its current system of governance is flawed and represents a “significant, ongoing threat.” Is UVA slipping from its perch as one of the public Ivies? Continue reading
Try not to fall in love this summer
I’m constantly reminded how some students fall in love with their dream college, only to have their dreams smashed when the admissions office reaches the wrong decision. Or later when they graduate but can’t find a satisfactory job. Often, it all started with that fateful campus visit. Continue reading
Some part of student debt is voluntary
Fidelity Investments recently reported the results of its second Cost-Conscious College Graduates Survey (press release here). The survey revealed that:
+ 70% of this year’s graduating class will carry an average of $35,200 of college-related debt on their backs as they cross the commencement stage
+ 39% said that, if they had it to do over, they would have saved more and earlier, researched financial aid and funding options and looked for additional ways to save and control costs—in other words, they regret the amount of debt they accumulated. The majority says they could have saved more by spending less on eating out, entertainment and retail purchases.
The experiences of these new college graduates are informative for anyone embarking on their college journey today. Avoidance of debt should be a top priority.
College according to Selingo
College (Un)Bound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students, authored by Jeffrey Selingo, editor at large for The Chronicle of Higher Education, was just released. For the reader who is infatuated with higher ed, its 212 pages paint a rather complete picture of the landscape of higher ed today. For the student looking for the right college, it provides some helpful reminders of the differences between successful and disappointing college experiences. Continue reading
College enrollment falls
College enrollment continues its downward slide, thereby creating pressure on colleges to stabilize or cut tuition. Below is a chart provided by National Student Clearing House with the year-to-year changes. You can find the full NSCH report here.
For the second year in a row, the greatest percentage erosion was seen in the Midwest. Four-year, for-profit institutions saw the biggest declines. Private, nonprofit institutions experienced a slight increase in enrollment over 2012, which undoubtedly is related to the increase in their discount rates that was earlier noted.
The face of our colleges is about to change
The Pew Research Hispanic Center reports some very good news about the state of education among Hispanics in the U.S.: 69% of Hispanic high school graduates are now enrolling in college and the drop-out rate for Hispanic high school students has been cut in half since 2000. This evolving social dynamic is about to change the face of our colleges and universities in very significant ways. Continue reading
