Communities around the country had been experimenting with free community college programs since 2005, usually with private funding, but Tennessee was the first to make it a statewide policy, and it inspired 36 states to follow suit. This year, Massachusetts was the most recent to make community college free. But as free-tuition programs have multiplied, so have questions and doubts. Are low-income students benefiting? Is free tuition leading to more college graduates? Unfortunately, we have…
College isn’t for everyone, many argue. But what is the alternative? An old idea is to train kids in a trade in high school via shop class. However, high school trade programs have had a deservedly bad reputation as a “dumping ground” for low-income students, providing a subpar education and failing to prepare young adults for the modern world. These classes are also bound up with a shameful racial history. When schools were forced to…
One college admissions officer at a large public university described how test-optional admissions had spurred more disagreements in his office. A third reader on an application was often called in to break a tie when one staffer said ‘yes’ and another said ‘no.’ Without SAT and ACT scores, he explained, the job of admitting students had become more subjective and more time-consuming. “I feel like everyone who reviews applications has their own perspective or opinion,”…
For those families applying for financial aid, you should plan to fill out the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, and the 2023-2024 CSS Profile. Both applications open on October 1, 2022. While the FAFSA and CSS Profile help determine need-based financial aid, some colleges may require them to be considered for non-need-based merit scholarships as well. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, is a…
It’s essential for students to like and be a good fit for the school they attend. No matter where students find themselves in their college journeys, they may need help navigating the search and application process to ensure students end up at an institution where they can truly thrive. Nearly a quarter of American college students who start at one four-year institution will transfer to a different one to finish their degree. So, if you’re…
Attention, high school juniors: keep the momentum going this summer. You’ve made it this far, and now is not the time to lose steam. Use your time wisely to get ahead. What you do this summer could be the factor that pushes your application from a no or maybe to a yes. Here’s your college to do list for the summer. 1. Draft your college essay. By starting your college essay over the summer, you…
As more than two-thirds of all U.S. colleges and universities continue to make admissions decisions without requiring ACT or SAT scores, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology made news by restoring its admissions testing requirement. Exam supporters jumped on the story, suggesting a wave of similar decisions at other schools. One story declared that the SAT isn’t unfair, society is, as if both couldn’t be true. Such reactions based in the false notion that standardized test…
The College Scorecard has gotten a makeover. And no, this has nothing to do with your March Madness bracket. The Scorecard is an online trove of federal data that can help prospective students choose the college that’s right for them – and, just maybe, avoid a lifetime of student debt and heartache. The site, collegescorecard.ed.gov, can tell you a lot about a school – from its graduation rate and the earnings of former students, to how much…
If you are a high school senior who will be applying for financial aid for the next school year, the time is quickly approaching to fill out the 2022-2023 FAFSA and the 2022-2023 CSS Profile, as both applications open on October 1, 2021. As a rule of thumb, families applying for aid should complete the applications as soon as possible to ensure that they meet all deadlines and that the schools still have financial aid…
As junior year comes to a close, high school students tend to feel overwhelmed by the college planning process. To utilize their time wisely over this coming summer, juniors should try to get ahead on research and prepare their next steps for the break. Come senior year, they will be thanking themselves for starting early. Here are five things your junior needs to do this summer to prepare for senior year. 1. Apply for a…
