Caught in the Middle: Too Rich for Financial Aid, Too Poor to Afford Tuition
Tuition hikes in Washington state are being disproportionately felt by students of middle-class families, The Seattle Times reports in an article today. “We’re on the cusp of creating a higher-education model in this state that only works for the very wealthy and the very poor,” said state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane. Not long ago, students could reasonably expect to work 1-2 jobs throughout the summer to cover in-state tuition, student fees, and living expenses for each upcoming school year at a public university…
Congressional Joint Economic Committee Issues New Report on Student Loans
The Congressional Joint Economic Committee released a new report Tuesday on student loan borrowing as debates continue on the future of subsidized Stafford loan interest rates. Student loan debt has risen nearly two-fold in five years, according to the report, “The Causes and Consequences of Increasing Student Debt.” Among the report's key findings: Two-thirds of recent graduates have student loans, with an average balance of more than $27,000. On average, recent graduates left college with student loan debt of 60% of their…
Senators Reintroduce Bill to Standardize Student-Aid Award Letter
U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IOWA) and Al Franken (D-MN) reintroduced legislation Friday that would require all American colleges and universities to issue a standardized student finanacial-aid award letter to students and their parents applying for such aid. The Understanding the True Cost of College Act (S. 1156) would require institutions to use a standardized letter that would specify financial factors like the cost of attendance, grant aid, eligible amounts of federal student loans, expected monthly loan-repayment amounts, and disclosures…
Sen Warren Speaks Out on Student Loan Rates Increase
New Brochure Helps Explain Service Members’ Federal Student Loan Benefits
U.S. military service is certainly not for the 'faint of heart.' From yearlong deployments away from family and friends, to missed birthdays, holidays, and wedding anniversaries, to the inherent risks of military training and combat, it is among the most arduous jobs an American could volunteer to do. And yet, young men and women continue to answer their nation's call to service and for those sacrifices, we are grateful. With hard duty comes many federal educational benefits that service members and their families may…
