May 10 Students find 'free college' often doesn't live up to the lofty promises By Mikhail Zinshteyn, The Hechinger Report The complexity of what "free college" really means is leading to confusion about whether students qualify. In fact, the people who would benefit the most, such as those who attend part-time or older students, are often excluded. Continue reading
May 07 Watch 7:34 For these states and cities, funding college is money in the bank By Hari Sreenivasan A majority of American college graduates leave school with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. The issue of paying for college is so concerning that several 2020 presidential candidates have proposed forgiving student debt or making public colleges… Continue watching
Nov 16 Non-degree 'badges' are booming. Are they really useful? By Matt Krupnick, The Hechinger Report While there has generally been consensus about what a college degree represents, there’s confusion over how to define many of these new credentials and judge their usefulness for employers and job seekers. Continue reading
Nov 09 Some colleges are totally unaffordable, and this tool proves it By Jon Marcus, The Hechinger Report After years of escalating costs and stagnant earnings, new data show that some colleges have finally grown conclusively, decisively and categorically unaffordable for many Americans. Continue reading
Nov 02 Watch 5:34 Could Harvard discrimination case change college admissions nationwide? The Harvard admissions trial in Boston concluded Friday and it could have implications for affirmative action nationwide. The case alleges that qualified Asian-American applicants were denied admission because Harvard used other, non-academic measures to keep their numbers down. William Brangham… Continue watching
Oct 30 Watch 7:06 Where support for college students is 'high-tech, high-touch' By Hari Sreenivasan, Merrill Schwerin Florida is one of 35 states that tie college funding to graduation rates. But a new study,“The Pell Divide,” finds a difference in graduation rates between students who receive funding assistance from Pell Grants and those who don’t. Hari Sreenivasan… Continue watching
Oct 30 Billions in Pell Grants go to students who aren't graduating, new data shows By Jon Marcus, The Hechinger Report Taxpayers have spent more than $325 billion in the last decade on Pell Grants meant to help low-income students graduate, but only half of Pell recipients at four-year universities and colleges graduated within six years, new data show. It’s the… Continue reading
Oct 30 Growing up, college wasn't part of his world. Did he beat the odds? By Emily Hanford, APM Reports Most students who start at community college don't graduate. Though Mario had overcome a lot in life just to enroll in college, the odds were against his earning a degree. Continue reading
Oct 26 She dreamed college would change her life. 10 years later, was she right? By Emily Hanford, APM Reports More than a third of community college students quit by the end of their first year. Just 15 percent complete a bachelor's degree within six years — and the rates are even lower for black and Hispanic students. This is… Continue reading
Oct 23 Watch 6:23 Turning soldiers into scholars by turning military experience into college credit By Hari Sreenivasan Despite years leading troops and managing equipment on the front lines, soldiers returning to school may have to start from the beginning, alongside teenagers who have never held a similar level of responsibility. Now, a new Colorado law awards college… Continue watching