For years I have railed against the dysfunctional federal student loan program. The availability of cheap federal student loans has enabled universities to increase tuition fees aggressively, helping fund an … Continue reading “New Research Shows Federal Student Aid Is Worse than We Thought”
The modern American university has changed almost beyond recognition from the form it had even 100 years ago. It is larger, more “diverse,” more of a business, and more industrialized … Continue reading “The Mess of Federal Funds Is Changing the University”
People who analyze and write about higher education generally fall into two camps. One camp consists of those who believe that our system is “the envy of the world” and … Continue reading “Can American Higher Education Be Restored?”
With the rising number of student loan defaults, the federal government has reaped what it has sown. A government policy to give virtually any student a loan has pushed tens … Continue reading “Student Loan Defaults Reveal the True Cost of Student Loans”
Nearly all American institutions of higher education raise money they put into endowments—money that is kept invested in securities. At the same time, many of their students borrow money from … Continue reading “Universities Should Invest in Their Students, Not Securities”
Parent PLUS is not typically the loan program making headlines when student loans are in the news. But over the past several years, it has become a central part of … Continue reading “Parents, Student Loans, and Government: An Unhealthy Mix”
College is expensive. Even in today’s deeply divided political climate, all Americans seem to agree on that. But while most, if not all, Americans agree that student loan debt is … Continue reading “Income Share Agreements Offer a Promising Alternative to Federal Loans”
Last month, Amanda Ripley, writing for The Atlantic, asked a good question: why does higher education in the United States cost significantly more than in every other OECD nation except … Continue reading “Answering the Perennial Question: Why Does College Cost So Much?”
No one can accuse Education Secretary Betsy DeVos of inaction. Just within the past few weeks, her Department of Education announced the overhaul of two major Obama-era regulations. The next … Continue reading “The Innovation Dilemma Facing Betsy DeVos”
Student loan debt remains a burden for millions of college graduates and dropouts, but the federal government has not yet hit the brakes on its loan engine. Now, it’s becoming … Continue reading “PLUS Loans: Subtraction by Addition?”