The Hidden Financial Aid Hurdle Derailing College Students
At 19, Elizabeth Clews knew attending community college while balancing a full-time job and caring for a newborn would be hard. But she wanted to give it a shot. After a few months, the single mom, who had just exited the foster care system, realized she wasn’t doing well enough to pass her classes at…
Read MoreFunding for College-Completion Program at Risk in Federal Budget
Fourteen thousand students dropped out of the Austin Community College District in Texas during the last two academic years. But the institution of more than 36,000 students has a plan to get some of them back. Supported by a $770,765 Education Department grant, that plan involves reaching out to students and connecting them with career…
Read MoreHow to Increase Socioeconomic Diversity at the Ivies
Ivy League colleges are under growing pressure to broaden their student base by using admission policies that increase the proportion of low- and moderate-income students on campuses and raise their rate of socioeconomic mobility. A new report, released Tuesday by the HEA Group, a research and consulting firm focused on college access and success, says…
Read MoreHigher Learning Advocates Launches ‘40 Million Reasons’ Campaign to Raise Awareness Around the 40+ Million Americans with Some College, No Credential
WASHINGTON – The population of Americans with some college and no credentials (SCNC) experienced another surge in 2021, rising to 40.4 million – almost 1 in 6 – according to a recent report from the National Student Clearinghouse. The report is released as Higher Learning Advocates (HLA) launches a new campaign to highlight audience demographics…
Read MoreDebt Ceiling Deal May Endanger Plan to Double Pell Grants by 2029
“President Joe Biden pledged to double the maximum Pell Grant by 2029, but his recent debt ceiling deal is seemingly at odds with that plan. Biden’s deal struck with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy places spending caps on discretionary spending for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Factoring in projected inflation over the next two years, the deal will…
Read More‘A Necessary Start’: Statement on Release of New Gainful Employment Rule
WASHINGTON – Higher Learning Advocates (HLA) released a statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s recent release of their proposed Gainful Employment Rule. “Transparency and accountability are pivotal to ensure today’s students finish a program of study financially better off than when they started. Higher Learning Advocates applauds the Department of Education for…
Read MoreMeasuring ROI in Higher Education
Measuring ROI in Higher Education “In this episode, Dr. Jason Altmire talks with Julie Peller of Higher Learning Advocates about accountability, ROI in higher education, and the future of the for-profit sector. Julie Peller is the Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates. She also served as the Deputy Staff Director for the House Committee on Education and Labor. Julie…
Read MoreBrief: SAP Requirements Create Barriers to Underserved Students
SAP Requirements Create Barriers to Underserved Students “The brief examines how current SAP policies can be confusing for many students, such as those who are new to college and arrive academically underprepared, do not receive proper advising, or face unexpected life challenges. Institutions can create their own SAP requirements, but at minimum students must maintain…
Read MoreMarketWatch: Debt cancellation got all the attention, but this Biden proposal could impact student-loan borrowers more, critics and advocates say
“When President Joe Biden announced in August that his administration planned to cancel $10,000 in federal student debt for most borrowers, Allison Daurio felt some relief. Under the White House’s debt forgiveness plan, Daurio , 29 would see about one-quarter of her student loan balance wiped away. But as she read more closely through the…
Read MoreBorn of Necessity, Emergency Student Aid Should Become Standard Operating Procedure
In the wake of two years that have upended the financial and educational well-being of millions of students, emergency aid has become a watchword of the day for many higher education institutions. Once thought of as “point solutions” used by a relatively small number of colleges and universities, cash assistance programs are now increasingly commonplace…
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