New Approach to Community College Transfers

With the Northeast projected to experience a decline in high school graduates, tuition-dependent liberal arts colleges in the region are looking for new ways to recruit students.

And the trend keeps heading in my predicted direction.

Link

A conversation with Stanford President John Hennessy

A little tax relief for the college connected

Here's what "may" come out of Congress in the economic stimulus package for college students and their families. "Parents with children in college — and some adult students — could get expanded tax credits of up to $2,500 to help cover tuition and related expenses in 2009 and 2010. Families making between $160,000 and $180,000 can get reduced credits. Those making more are ineligible."

Cut-rate campus

The Boston Globe has an interesting article on cut rate private colleges. 

It's an interesting play in the looming global economic meltdown.  

The (not so) Secret Reasons for Tuition Hikes

US News offers this nice report why college costs keep on rising.

Dear President Elect Obama,

Can we please put some of this near the top of the change list!

Also if you didn't read Tom Friedman's piece about taking America Back to School it's worth your time.

If you are not Barack Obama  you can still read these.

College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S

So saith the New York Times 

I read the news today oh, boy

I heard it too.

Florida To Raise University Tuition Statewide 15%

Cal State Schools May Slash Enrollment

Economic Crisis Hits Colleges In Pennsylvania

How Will Obama Help College Costs?

Harvard Seeking Spending Cuts Amid Economic Crisis

Harvard has a 36.9 BILLION dollar endowment.

If they are tightening their belt -- that's a bad economic sign.

And yes, I am just plugging Fringe because it's a geek show that takes place on Harvard's campus.

Seriously, what straight geek boy would not want to date a girl with math hair.  Math hair is hot!

Tough Times Strain Colleges Rich and Poor

So says the New York Times

Pssst! Wanna Go to College for Free?

Business Week is jusk kickin' it for me this week.

http://www.businessweek.com/print/investor/content/nov2007/pi20071113_819956.htm

The Price Of College

I spent the better part of an hour today listening to this Talk of the Nation show  entitled  The Price of College. Good stuff.  Listen here.

The SallieMae planner talked about is here

Here is the  SallieMae/Gallup study How America Pays for College  (PDF)

Also

The Rockin' Dr. Barbra Nightingal passed this link via facebook about how the  Costs Of College Can Be Eased With A Little Work

College degree an overrated product

This is Marty Nemko.  He thinks college isn't always a wise choice for everyone.   I agree.

You can read his argument here.

It's like "College Week" on MarketPlace

It's time to study the value of college

College education costs continue to soar at the same time studies show college graduates getting paid less. Commentator David Frum says Americans should re-examine the real value of a college degree in today's economy.

Textbook costs getting hard to cover

A growing chunk of college costs is the price of textbooks, on which the typical undergraduate spends $900 a year. So a group of college professors is calling for low-priced and free texts online. Congress is getting involved, too.

In digging these up I also found for you this story about consolidating student loans. It's from March, but still good.

Stanford-- Now Fee Free

In a radical change to its financial aid program, Stanford University will announce today that it will no longer charge tuition to students whose families earn less than $100,000 a year.
In addition, the university will waive room and board fees for students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year.

SFGate story here

Use the map, take the journey

For the last few weeks I've had an outpouring of love on the Facebook/MySpace scene.

Last week I received a letter that left me speechless for a bit.

This morning a former Florida peep sent me this message: 

So, here is my status update . . .

I did look into Kettering seriously and it was one of my main options, but I did not end up there. I still can't believe it today, but I got a major private scholarship (30k per year) and ended up at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I love it out here and I like the school... I am still getting used to all the changes in my life. Fortunately I had already done a lot of the volunteering and other such things to build my resume, which no doubt had a positive effect on my scholarship application. I hope that other students follow your advice and get into some of these activities, hopefully with an eye on doing something good for the college and community. It is tragic, I think, for people to do good only for the promise of some perceived personal benefit. Anyway, I feel utterly grateful and fortunate to be here with this amazing scholarship and wonderful area. I hope this message finds you healthy and happy.

I take now real credit for this peep's latest success. I just gave the peep a map, but it was all the peeps journey.  It could be your journey too.  Because if you are reading this blog you've probably been given a map from me in the form of a book, lecture or conversation.  You can make this system work for you and achieve amazing things and create a better society to boot.  

Is that a college-tuition price war?

Marketplace must love the new blog, because they keep reporting stories for it.

Today there was a piece about how several universities recently announced big increases in financial aid. Commentator Kim Clark says it looks like things may be starting to turn in students' favor. I like the sound of that.

I dug around a bit and found some specifics on the aid changes at Swarthmore, Pomona and Tufts that Kim mentions.

All good stuff. All good schools.