The COVID-19 pandemic is poised to put the college transfer process to the test as strained finances and ongoing uncertainty prompt some students to change plans.
Topics: Cost
Dip in FAFSA completion sparks concern
A new analysis shows a recent decline in renewals of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, with an especially sharp drop among returning students from the lowest-income families.
Amid wave of lawsuits, experts say students unlikely to see tuition refunds
More than 50 U.S. colleges and universities are facing lawsuits from undergraduate students seeking tuition, room-and-board, and fee refunds, but economists point out that many colleges’ costs have actually increased since the pandemic began.
Will shaky state finances shift focus away from tuition-free college?
Experts are predicting that many states will need to temporarily table their free-college aspirations and instead focus on minimizing higher ed budget cuts and tuition hikes.
How are colleges creating refund policies that balance student needs, institutional resources?
Having asked students to leave campus, many colleges and universities now find themselves navigating another challenge: requests to provide refunds for student housing, meal plans, and other fees.
NCAA extends eligibility for spring athletes, but scholarships may not keep up
The NCAA this week said it will allow schools to extend spring-sport student-athletes’ eligibility, given how coronavirus derailed this season. But coaches say that there may not be enough scholarship dollars to cover those athletes’ cost of attendance.
Public university students are paying more and more—but not at Purdue
Since becoming the president of Purdue University, Mitch Daniels has frozen the land-grant school’s in-state tuition at $9,992 for seven years straight—an anomaly as the cost of higher education rises nationwide.
Study finds open educational resources are cost-effective
The largest-ever study of the impact of open educational resources has found that free, digital learning materials save students money at a reasonable cost to colleges.
Study: Graduate school debt could undermine higher ed affordability efforts
Graduate students account for just 15 percent of higher ed enrollment but 40 percent of federal loans issued each year—debt that could ultimately undercut plans to make college more affordable.
Cities, states offering families cash incentives to save for college
Focused on college affordability, policymakers are offering small amounts of seed money to parents who set up 529 college savings accounts when their children are young.
How soon will students face a $100,000 annual cost of attendance?
The University of Chicago’s annual cost of attendance could soon reach six figures, according to an analysis exploring college sticker prices and the impact of widespread discounting.
Buttigieg campaign announces $500 billion higher ed plan
2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg recently announced a $500 billion plan to make public colleges tuition-free for families earning $100,000 or less annually.