Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Can’t afford college? No problem, students say

Four in 10 students say they don't know what their tuition payments will be.

Most college applicants said they would attend a school even if tuition was well out of their price range, and just a fraction of college hopefuls use an online tuition calculator before they commit to an institution, according to a new national survey.

The survey, conducted and published by the College Board and the Art and Science Group, included responses from high school seniors in the winter of their final year before college–called early prospects–and seniors six months later, as they prepare for high school graduation. The survey dubs these respondents as late prospects.

About two-thirds of late prospects–ready to decide on a college to attend the following fall–said they would struggle to afford tuition, but would attend the school because it offered “strong academics in my field of interest,” “a prestigious reputation,” and an “active, vibrant social life,” among other attributes.…Read More

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New site helps students compare private loans

The student loan application process can hurt a student's credit score.
The student loan application process can hurt a student's credit score.

Students at private, nonprofit colleges and universities in 12 states can use a new online service to find a school loan, avoiding complex web searches that discourage students from finding the best deal.

The Marketplace, a web site launched in August, offers private loan options that show student applicants how much they will be charged before submitting their loan application.

Without the one-stop-shopping site for private school loans, students are left to manage a circuitous route through various sites that make it impossible to compare loans and interest rates.…Read More

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Technology makes student aid more accessible

Students have increasingly looked to the web for financial aid.
Students have increasingly looked to the web for financial aid.

Over the past decade and a half, the internet has made it easier for families to learn about, find, and apply for college scholarships, government grants, and other types of student financial aid. This transformation of the financial aid industry continues even today with a simplified federal aid form and a new XML data standard that will make applying for scholarships easier than ever.

I have acted as a catalyst for some of these major developments and have a unique perspective on the role of the internet in paying for college.

I founded the FinAid web site in the early 1990s to help people plan for and pay for college by making the process easier to understand and more efficient. FinAid was one of the internet’s first web sites, not just one of the first web sites about student financial aid. It is also one of the oldest web sites still in existence.…Read More

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Experts split: Are FY11 student aid increases enough?

One financial aid expert said Pell Grants would have to be doubled to increase the number of degree-holding Americans.
One financial aid expert said Pell Grant amounts would have to be doubled to increase the number of degree-holding Americans.

President Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget includes $156 billion in student aid, a second consecutive increase in Pell Grant funds, and a lower cap for student loan repayments—but financial aid officials said the proposals fall short of policy changes that would make college universally accessible.

The president’s budget, released Feb. 1, raises Pell Grants from $5,500 to $5,710. The Pell Grant program would see a $17 billion increase under the administration’s plan; Obama boosted Pell Grants by 13 percent in his fiscal 2010 budget. The budget calls for linking Pell Grant increases to the annual inflation rate plus 1 percent, making the maximum Pell Grant nearly $7,000 in 10 years.

The administration’s student aid package marks a 60-percent increase since 2008.…Read More

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