A new analysis looks at the use and outcomes of the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, which pays for school or career training for military-connected students and their families.
Student Economics Archive
Scholarship fund supports military-connected students preparing for public sector careers
A recent $200,000 gift from Craig Newmark Philanthropies will help eliminate tuition expenses for military-connected students at the McCourt School of Public Policy.
The access and transparency implications of differential tuition
Colleges and universities with differential tuition policies, in which students pay more for certain majors, are working to ensure they don’t create unintended barriers for students of color and first-generation, low-income college students.
Community college students face financial obstacles to staying enrolled
A new survey of stopped-out and currently enrolled community college students finds that work obligations and college costs are major reasons why they leave their programs. Policies focused on reducing financial barriers can help.
School of Medicine student receives ‘life-changing’ scholarship
Amanda Wibben, MTS (M’26), winner of the 2023-24 Lawrence Dean Scholarship, has shown her dedication to caring for local communities and working to reduce global health inequities.
No FAFSA data until March? Education officials add support amid delays.
After announcing that colleges may not receive students’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data until early March, Education Department officials said they are providing additional resources to help under-resourced schools and students manage the compressed financial aid process.
How to connect more students with crucial public benefits
A new policy brief calls on colleges to use readily available financial aid data to inform students of their potential eligibility for government assistance, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and subsidized health insurance.
Spelman College receives historic $100M donation
The gift to the women’s college is the largest single donation to an HBCU and includes $75 million to endow scholarships.
Making study abroad more affordable
Studying abroad can be out of reach for first-generation and low-income college students due to travel and program costs. Colleges and their financial partners are working to expand access.
Meet the McCourt School of Public Policy’s 2024 Howard Scholar
Natalia Cooper (G’26) is developing new skills at the intersection of economic and social policy as a part-time student at the McCourt School of Public Policy and a full-time policy analyst at the Center on Poverty and Inequality.
Delays, glitches in the new FAFSA frustrate families
College applicants have encountered problems during the “soft launch” of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, leaving students and their families worried they will not receive financial aid packages in time to make informed college choices.
The changing nature of ‘merit’ aid at public institutions
Public colleges and universities are increasingly providing tuition discounts for wealthier students through non-need-based “merit” aid. The trend is exacerbating disparities in college access for lower-income students, experts say.