Newly released federal data on students’ loan default rates show that the student debt crisis “is worse than we imagined,” according to the senior director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress.
Topics: Student loans
Official tasked with protecting student borrowers resigns
Seth Frotman says the Trump Administration is “leav[ing] students vulnerable to predatory practices.”
Report: College completion a key driver in students’ ability to pay down debt
A new report finds that individuals who complete college are far more likely than non-completers to begin repaying their federal student loans.
Democrats’ Aim Higher Act and Republicans’ Prosper Act offer competing visions for making higher education accessible and affordable
The two bills offer a window into the parties’ visions for simplifying the financial aid application process, addressing students’ struggles with education loan debt, and making college financially accessible for more students.
New game show seeks to raise awareness of student debt crisis
Calling it “an absurd show to match an absurd crisis,” comedian Michael Torpey this week premiered a new game show whose winner gets money toward reducing their college loan debt.
Medical schools taking steps to curb student debt
Medical schools are exploring ways to shrink students’ loan burden, hoping to remove a key driver of provider shortages in certain disciplines and regions.
Four-year colleges struggling to graduate Pell recipients, study finds
Just 47 percent of institutions included in a new analysis graduated at least half of Pell recipients within six years.
College loans keeping homeownership out of reach for many millennials
With homeownership rates among 20- and 30-somethings at a three-decade low, the New York Times explores student debt’s role in deterring millennials from buying homes.
Policy analyst questions benefits of income-driven loan repayment
Income-driven loan repayment overlooks significant racial disparities in wealth and doesn’t address the real problem—the debt itself—according to a Demos analyst.
Completion grants may help curb attrition among near-graduates
Results from a pilot program suggest that relatively small completion grants could increase degree attainment among academically successful students.
Student loan rates to rise for second consecutive year
The latest update brings undergraduate loan interest rates to 5.05 percent for the 2018-19 academic year.
Two students’ journeys from behind bars to bachelor’s degrees
A federal pilot program launched in 2016 is enabling dozens of colleges to revive prison education initiatives through Pell Grants, the Washington Post reports.