Everybody's Business

An Inside Higher Education article reports on the results of a study that helps low-income families apply for financial aid, testing the "idea that simplifying the process will make a big difference" in college access.  

 From the report abstract:  read more »

Sallie Mae and Gallup recently reported on college savings.  Key findings include (From the Sallie MAe website):  read more »

Students who got emergency funds from Central New Mexico College's Rust Opportunity Fund were retained at nearly 20% higher rates than first-time students, according to an article in today's Inside Higher Ed.  Awards averaged just over $400 in 2008 for the 244 recipients.   read more »

As college costs rise, more college students are forced to work now than ever before. Although it is assumed that working more hours gives students less time to study and therefore, gives the students a disadvantage, here are two conflicting studies of this argument.  read more »

Newsweek suggests 5 ways that Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan can simplify FASFA, including reducing it to a waiver that allows schools to get everything they need from the IRS.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/203894?from=rss

See Miley's related entry here.

A plan to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is on the verge of being revealed by Education Secretary Arne Duncan.  They are taking three main steps to see this plan into fruition:  read more »

On April 22, The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators announced a slew of recommended changes to the current American College Financial Aid system released in a report called "National Conversation Initiative Preliminary Recommendations".  read more »

NMSU Family Webinars are free, one-hour online seminars for anyone interested in helping a student earn a college degree. Please join us Tuesday, February 10, 2009 from 7-8 pm Mountain Standard Time for 'Financial Aid Basics: Planning for the Future.' Presenters will provide you with vital information about the FAFSA, Lottery Scholarship, advising, grants and loans to support student success. A question and answer segment will be included.

The NMSU Family Webinar Series is open to anyone with a computer, Internet  read more »

This from the May 30 2008 blog at the Chronicle of Higher Education"  read more »

Some key findings (from the report):

Approximately 58 percent of first-time, full-time bachelor’s or equivalent degree-seekers attending 4-year institutions completed a bachelor’s or equivalent degree within 6 years (table 5).  read more »