Hispanic students are still significantly lagging behind other groups when it comes to college admission, retention and graduation rates, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pew Hispanic Center. The Pew study released today attempts to explain why those gaps remain, especially as a majority of Hispanic students report that they understand the value of a college education and are urged by their parents to pursue bachelor’s degrees.

The numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, which date back to 2007 and were released last week, show that only about 19 percent of Hispanics report having attended some college or pursuing associate’s degrees; only about 9 percent go on to complete their bachelor’s. The national average for some college attendance or those completing associate’s degrees is about 25 percent, with nearly 19 percent completing bachelor’s degrees. About 26.5 percent of white students reported attending some college or completing associate’s degrees; nearly 21 percent complete undergraduate degrees. Female Hispanic students seem to fare slightly better than the men.

The Pew Hispanic Center’s study showed that although Hispanic students today are more likely to go to college than they were in 1970, perhaps due in part to the rapidly growing population, there is still a large disparity between those who say everyone should go to college and those who actually do. While nearly 90 percent of Hispanic students surveyed (ages 16-25) said that it was important to get a college degree to get ahead (compared to 82 percent of the general population that agreed with that statement), only about half said they had plans of their own to go to college. And among Hispanic immigrants, less than a third say they have plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

So why the gap? About 74 percent of respondents in the Pew study said they had to cut their educations short because they had to support their families. Others said poor English skills hampered their ability to keep up with the rigors of college, and even high school. According to Latinosincollege.com, a website that aims to help more Hispanics graduate from four-year colleges, Hispanic students still have the highest high school dropout rate of any group.

Financial obstacles were a concern for about 40 percent of respondents in the Pew study who said they simply could not afford to go to college. While some of the other reasons may be hard to address and improve upon, financial aid and paying for college should not keep the collegebound from getting an education. Scholarships for minorities, including the growing number of Hispanic scholarships, are some of the most common student-specific scholarships out there, so for those putting their college plans on hold because of finances, be sure to conduct a free scholarship search to view all of the scholarships you’re eligible for.

Posted: under College Culture, College News.
Tags: college and society, college news, college students, Minority Scholarships

Comments (0) Oct 07 2009

As students begin the fall semester, news of the H1N1 swine flu virus spreading across college campuses is everywhere.  But whether the flu has hit your college or not, getting sick at school is a real concern and can quickly derail your semester.

Living far away from home, many college students aren’t well-equipped to take care of themselves and stay on top of their coursework while ill, especially if they contract something more serious than a cold.  While the flu’s getting all the attention now, other common illnesses can put students out of commission for days, or even weeks, causing them to miss class, miss work, and get behind on projects that are crucial to their success in school.  Missed work due to illness can even jeopardize your financial aid.  Part of taking care of yourself when you’re sick at school is taking care to minimize the impact of illness on your semester.

Beyond attending to your immediate needs (seeing a doctor, getting rest, etc.), the most important thing to do if you get sick is to contact your professors, preferably before you miss a class or an assignment.  If you’re really ill and need to miss more than one class or an important assignment, quiz, or test, the earlier you establish communication, the better it will go.  If you have a diagnosis, you can share it, but don’t go into the minute details of what your body is doing and don’t assume that because you’re sick with something verifiable, your professors will instantly cater to your every whim.  A doctor’s excuse doesn’t always go as far as demonstrated willingness to take responsibility for your missed work and to work with your professor to get caught up. Most instructors will be willing to provide you with information and course materials from missed classes, and depending on circumstances and how you approach the situation, they may allow you to make up work, as well.

If you’re going to miss a lot of school or you have professors unwilling to budge, contacting your academic advisor is a good step, as well.  A note from an advisor carries more weight than a call from a student, and if you lack the time or energy to address each professor personally and immediately, talking to your advisor can save you some time.  They can also give you advice and information on what to do about missing class, and help you keep from falling behind.

Finally, once you’re healthy, back in class and taking care of your missed work, there may still be other matters to attend to.  Even if you have tried your hardest, you may wind up with too much work to catch up in a class.  If talking to your professor and your advisor about incompletes and other options doesn’t bear fruit, you may need to drop classes or you may see your GPA suffer.  If you have scholarship awards or other financial aid, lower grades or less than full-time enrollment can have an impact on your eligiblity for these awards.  Be aware of the GPA and enrollment requirements for your scholarships and grants (even some student loans) and if you are in danger of not meeting them, talk to the scholarship provider or your financial aid counselor to find out your options.  Your financial aid office is also a good place to stop if illness has generated medical bills or lost income for you–they may be able to adjust your aid package to help you deal with these expenses.

Posted: under Back to School, College Culture, College Life, Tips.
Tags: Back to School, campus life, College Life, college students, college tips, student life

Comments (0) Sep 16 2009

Suffolk University offers “Sacred Hoops, Sneaker Pimps, and Hoop Dreams: Race, Gender, and Consumerism in 20th Century American Basketball” through its Seminar for Freshmen program. The University of California-Berkeley uses “StarCraft Theory and Strategy” for its course on war tactics. Santa Clara University has gotten students talking about waste and decomposition through its environmental science department’s “Joy of Garbage.”

Attracting students to courses by having some fun with their titles is not a new phenomenon, but a recent article by The Boston Globe says that it has become more common in a climate where professors are looking to boost enrollment in their classes, perhaps to make themselves less vulnerable during budget cut season. Boston College recently renamed a straightforward course on German literature to “Knights, Castles, and Dragons.” The effect? Tripled enrollment.

Professors quoted in the article describe how important marketing has become in getting more students to fill seats in their classrooms. Students have a wealth of options at their fingertips when applying for courses, and after they’re done filling their rosters with classes required by their majors, there may be little room for the more fun-sounding titles. So, anything that will give a student pause when putting together their course load is probably a good strategy. The professors also said that a heavy reliance on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter has given the college-bound a shorter attention span, and that even those already in college are bored more easily with the traditional course offerings. Students want to be entertained, even those in fields like computer science, philosophy, or traditionally more “stuffy” majors.

A word of advice, though: Be sure to consider the finished product of your transcript when signing up for courses with kooky titles. That “Science of Superheroes” class at the University of California-Irvine may be fun, but a balance of electives with interesting names and traditional courses applicable to your major will make you a better sell if you plan to pursue an advanced degree or land a job interview where the employer wants to see your coursework. As with an eye-catching course title, image is everything.

Posted: under Back to School, College Culture, College Majors, College News, Just for Fun.
Tags: College Classes, College Majors, college students, course enrollment, student life, undergraduate students

Comments (0) Sep 10 2009

The idea of the broke college student is a well-worn cliché, conjuring up images of extreme money-saving measures.

Thrift store clothing, dumpster-dived furniture, and dinner from the manager’s special aisle or the 99 cent store are all stereotypical trappings of the budget-conscious college student.  One student in New York recently managed to come up with a creative and envelope-pushing way to save money, however.  Brian Borncamp, a senior at the University at Buffalo’s North Campus in Amherst, New York, recently decided to save money on housing by building himself a cabin in the woods near campus.

After months of sleeping in stairwells, Borncamp was 80 percent finished with his cabin when university officials persuaded him to give up the effort and make alternate housing arrangements, according to The Buffalo News.  The student had compared himself to a modern-day Thoreau with his decision to live in the woods, but claimed his decision was initially motivated by financial concerns.  He realized in May that he was unable to pay for school and pay rent, and thus decided to live outdoors.

Once he began construction on an 8′ by 10′ cabin, the university intervened, offering him temporary housing, a campus job, counseling, and other assistance, according to a statement issued by UB’s Vice President for Student Affairs.  Borncamp initially refused, prefering to go it alone, but announced this week that he’d made other arrangements and would be vacating his campsite.

While this is an inventive solution to college budget concerns, cash-strapped students don’t need to resort to camping in the woods or residing in homemade structures.  Additional assistance is available for those in need of additional financial aid, and a free college scholarship search can help you find it.  For example, if building your own cabin or emulating a reclusive author appeals to you, you might find yourself well-suited to win a design scholarship or an English scholarship.

Posted: under College Costs, College Culture, College News.
Tags: College Costs, College Culture, college news, college students, money management, Scholarship Search, student life

Comments (0) Aug 28 2009

The stress and financial hardships of textbook buying may soon be a thing of the past, as a vast array of textbook rental options are expected to debut or expand this year.  According to a recent article in The New York Times, students will have increasing options for renting, instead of purchasing, the required books for many common courses.  Rental prices are usually substantially discounted from the retail value of the book and students who rent textbooks will not have to worry about whether or not the bookstore will buy back their text at the end of the semester.

A number of colleges and universities have unveiled on-campus textbook rental programs in recent years, making the texts for popular introductory courses available for a small fee.  More bookstores have begun to get in on this, with Barnes and Noble announcing a pilot program this year that will allow students at a few colleges to rent textbooks from their campus bookstores.  These programs allow students to rent textbooks as easily as they can buy them from the campus store, though they’re still only available at a handful of colleges and for a handful of textbooks.

Several websites have emerged in the last couple years offering online textbook rental services to students anywhere in the country.  These sites often have a wider array of books available for rental, though after shipping costs are figured in, their discounts may not necessarily be as deep as those offered by some bookstore-based rental programs.  Similar to buying textbooks online, online rentals also require some forethought and don’t work well with last-minute schedule changes.  Students have to order their books early enough to have them in hand by the time they begin receiving reading assignments.

Addressing this need for immediately available content is one publishing house that recently announced plans to enter the textbook rental market.  One company, Cengage Learning, plans to rent a number of its most popular titles to students and make the first couple chapters of each book available online to customers who have rented a physical text.  This reduces the stress of waiting for the book to arrive.

Taking advantage of textbook rental programs, as well as other options like used books and free online books, can help you stretch your college savings and scholarship awards further.

Posted: under Back to School, College Costs, College News.
Tags: Back to School, books, College Classes, College Costs, college news, college students, college tips, Tips

Comments (0) Aug 14 2009

Both for students starting college for the first time in the fall and for undergraduate students returning for another year, textbooks are too often an unwelcome and unexpectedly large expense.  With your scholarship awards and hard-earned money already going towards tuition and room and board, it’s difficult and unpleasant to have to shell out well over $100 for a book you’re unlikely to even enjoy reading.  There are ways to ease the pain of college textbook purchases, though.

Start Early and Get It in Writing

With classes starting up in August or September at most schools, your professors and the bookstore staff probably already know what books will be needed for fall, even if the textbook section of the campus bookstore isn’t open for business yet.  If you have your fall schedule figured out, now is a good time to start tracking down textbooks.

First off, get a book list for each course as early as possible.  This could take some doing, as not all professors in all departments have the courtesy to make book lists and syllabi available on a course website.  Typically, professors have to get lists to the bookstore, though, and the bookstore is generally supposed to make this information available to students.  If you can’t find this information anywhere, don’t be afraid to ask your professor through a polite e-mail.

Comparison Shop and Buy Used

With book list in hand, make note of prices at the campus bookstore, any off-campus textbook stores in the community, and popular websites that sell new and used books.  Try to find the best deal, and be sure to factor in shipping costs and how long it will take the books to arrive.

While the used book stacks are always the first to go at the bookstore, this isn’t the only place used books are available.  Check local used bookstores, as well as online retailers.  I’ve found books for literature classes at library sales, yard sales, and thrift stores too, so be on the lookout if you happen across any of these.  There’s nothing like picking up a $15 text for 15 cents.

Find It for Free

Got friends or older siblings who may have taken similar classes?  See if they hung onto their books and could lend you one or two.  You may want to try posting flyers in your dorm and common areas on campus, or utilizing free online classifieds for your campus and community.  The end of the semester is often the best time for this, but it could still pay off now.

Don’t forget the campus and public libraries, either, especially if you have the option of checking out a book for an entire semester, or if you will only need a book for part of the term.  Most colleges participate in pretty generous inter-library loan programs, and some let students keep books or renew books for fairly substantial lengths of time.

If you can’t borrow, you may also want to look into renting.  While not free, textbook rental services are less expensive than purchasing new books, and you don’t have to worry about trying to sell the books back at the end of the semester.

Apply for Textbook Scholarships

Many scholarship opportunities allow winners to apply costs towards any school-related expenses, including textbooks.  Additionally, several scholarship providers offer students money specifically for buying books.  Some are local scholarships and others are major-specific, but they are out there!  Do a free college scholarship search today to find some textbook funds.

Posted: under Back to School, College Costs, Tips.
Tags: Back to School, books, College Classes, College Costs, college students, college tips, Scholarship Search, Tips

Comments (0) Aug 13 2009

While fall classes may still seem far off for many students, incoming college freshmen and transfer students are already attending summer orientation and registration sessions.  Choosing classes leads directly to one of college’s biggest sticker shocks: the price of textbooks for those introductory classes.  With individual texts regularly carrying triple-digit price tags, a semester’s worth of textbooks you may never touch again can seem an unreasonable expense.

Increasingly, students skilled in money management are finding an array of options to make acquiring textbooks less painful.  Used bookstores abound just off campus at many colleges, giving the campus bookstore some competition and mitigating prices at least to some extent.  Particularly on-the-ball students race to the university library or avail themselves of inter-library loan options to check out required reading for free.  Other college campuses have begun renting popular textbooks for prices significantly lower than the cost of buying them new.

For other students, though, the Internet is the place to find discounted books for class.  A number of popular retailers offer used textbooks, though students may run the risk of getting an outdated edition or an instructor’s edition of any text they buy sight unseen.  Students who buy books online also face the same problem as students who buy from the campus bookstore: after the semester’s ended, you may well wind up stuck with an edition of a book you didn’t really want to own in the first place.

A few companies are now offering services that combine the convenience of online textbook shopping and textbook rentals.  The New York Times recently profiled Chegg.com, a website that allows students to rent textbooks online, similar to online video rental services. While paying $50 or more (plus shipping) for a book you don’t even get to keep if you want it can be hard to swallow, online rentals do have advantages.  Rental prices can be significantly cheaper than the price of purchasing a textbook, online rentals offer more selection, and students don’t have to worry about whether they’ll be able to find a buyer for their unwanted books at the end of the semester.

Whether or not you choose to rent your books for class, it’s nice to know that there are ways textbooks are becoming more affordable.  Cheaper books mean your financial aid and college savings can be stretched further, and that’s always a good thing.

Posted: under Back to School, College Costs, Tips.
Tags: Back to School, books, College Classes, College Costs, college students, financial tips, Tips

Comments (0) Jul 08 2009

Early reports suggest that summer enrollment is up at colleges across the country, likely due at least in part to the recession.  Since summer jobs are harder to find and some summer internships have also been taken off the table, more students are looking to summer classes as a way to stay productive between spring and fall semesters.  Dwindling college funds and other economic difficulties may also be pushing students to try to finish college as quickly and cheaply as possible.  Most state colleges and community colleges offer summer classes, as well as many private schools.

Summer classes are a great way to keep yourself on track for graduation, as well as to get required courses out of the way as quickly as possible.  While more time might be spent in the classroom at once, summer terms are shorter than regular semesters, so that class you’ve been dreading won’t seem to drag on quite as much.  Summer classes often come with smaller class sizes and more support from the instructor, in addition to longer class times, so they can also be a good way to master subjects that might otherwise be a struggle.

One problem that comes with summer enrollment is finding financial aid, however.  Often, schools award fewer summer scholarships and depending on the school’s approach to summer aid awards, students may have already used up their federal aid for the academic year, or may have to reduce the amount they receive the following fall and spring in order to pay for summer.  Some schools are working to make it easier to pay for school in the summer, though, as a piece in Inside Higher Ed reports.  Several have instituted summer payment plans similar to those available during the regular academic year, while others are offering tuition discounts and summer scholarship awards.  You may also be able to apply other college scholarships towards your summer tuition, or even still win scholarships this summer.

Posted: under College Costs, College News, College and the Economy, Financial Aid, Tips.
Tags: College and the Economy, College Classes, college news, College Savings Accounts, college students, college tips, Financial Aid, Scholarships

Comments (0) Jun 12 2009

A large part of attending college is gaining exposure to new ideas outside your area of study and acquiring a broad base of knowledge and critical thinking skills along the way.  Traditionally, colleges have pushed students towards this goal through the use of general education requirements, which are rarely met with uniform enthusiasm.  English majors may dread the mandatory laboratory science class, while future engineers may fail to see the point in spending two semesters learning MLA citation style and how to write an argumentative essay.  Other students complain that general education requirements leave their college experience feeling disjointed and not directly connected to their working life. While they may eventually have the chance to draw on knowledge, experiences, or methods of inquiry from all of their classes, many students fail to see how when staring a list of required introductory courses in the face.

Colleges are aware of these concerns and many are beginning to rethink general education requirements, according to survey results highlighted recently in Inside Higher Ed. A number of colleges are studying general education requirements and desired learning outcomes, starting by identifying goals and asking students what they’re taking from their courses.  Others are implementing new course requirements to expose students to a variety of disciplines beyond what they would normally get from introductory courses in their first two years of college.  More focus is also being placed on integrating a student’s courses into the focus of their degree and career goals with the hope that students will be able to tie these lessons together and bring a more well-rounded approach to their major.

With renewed focus on college costs, the time it takes students to earn a degree, and the value of a college degree in the working world, the attention being paid to these courses seems timely. As many schools begin reevaluating or restructuring general educuation requirements, it’s likely that the college experience of today’s high school students will be different from not only that of their parents, but also that of today’s undergraduate students.  What do you think of required general classes? Does the system need to be changed?  Don’t just limit yourself to blog comments! If you’re attending college right now, check out this year’s Resolve to Evolve Essay Scholarship for a chance to win $1,000 by weighing in on this topic.

Posted: under College Costs, College Culture, College Majors, College News.
Tags: college benefits, College Classes, College Culture, College Majors, college students, education study, Resolve to Evolve, undergraduate students

Comments (0) May 19 2009

Today we move on to the final part of our Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Letter series.  If you were lucky enough to have your entire tuition paid through free money for college, then you can stop reading now.  But the vast majority of students who apply for aid will be awarded at least one less ideal form of financial aid.  Sorting through the rest of your award letter is the tough part–this is where difficult choices may need to be made, including whether and how much to borrow.

Understanding Your Award Letter, Part III: Work-Study and Student Loans

While you probably would not want to decline any of the free money we discussed last week, you may want to turn down some of the aid covered today.  You are allowed to decline any assistance on your award letter if you feel you will not need it, and you can also elect to take a smaller amount than what is given.  Keep this in mind when budgeting for the year, and don’t feel obligated to borrow more than you need.  If you change your mind and need this aid later, you can usually get it back.

Federal Work-Study

If you have remaining financial need after any grants and scholarships you’ve been awarded, you may see an award of federal work-study on your letter.  This is a federally subsidized program for students working certain jobs on, and occasionally off, campus.  Work-study is not money you will receive up front.  You need to get a job that is funded through the work-study program to receive this money, and it will be given to you as a paycheck, not as money off your bill.  Since many jobs on campus are reserved for work-study students, it can be a great option if you’re planning to work while you’re in college.

However, if you already have a job that is not funded through work-study or you do not plan to work, you may want to decline this award.  There’s no penalty for failing to use your work-study, but if you’ve been funded to your full need or cost of attendance, canceling your work-study may free up space for more or better student loans than you would have otherwise received.

Student Loans

There are two main categories of student loans: federal loans and private loans.  Federal loans include subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans, as well as Perkins Loans and PLUS Loans.  Private loans come from banks and typically carry higher interest rates, though some states offer their own low-interest student loan programs.  Depending on whether the school you attend participates in the Federal Direct Loans Program, or the bank-based Federal Family Education Loan Program, your federal Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans may be issued by a bank, but their terms are still set by the federal government.  We have more detailed breakdowns of the different forms of student loans on our site, but here’s a quick refresher, in rough order of desirability.

Federal Perkins Loans

Currently, Perkins Loans have limited funding and are often reserved for students with higher financial need.  Schools award these at their discretion, but you apply for them through the FAFSA.  However, if you receive one, you may want to take it, as they currently carry the lowest interest rates and some of the most favorable repayment terms.  Perkins Loans have a fixed 5 percent interest rate and a 10 year repayment period.  They are subsidized loans, which means interest does not accrue while you are in school.  They also have a 9-month grace period before repayment begins.  The current Perkins Loan limits are $5,500 per year for undergraduates and $8,000 per year for graduate students.

Federal Stafford Loans

Federal Stafford Loans come in two varieties, subsidized and unsubsidized.  Subsidized loans won’t accrue interest while you’re in college, while unsubsidized loans will.  These are awarded automatically if you indicated on your FAFSA that you are interested in student loans.  The interest rates on Stafford Loans are set by Congress, and are currently fixed at 6.0% for subsidized loans and 6.8% for unsubsidized loans for the life of the loan.  Stafford Loans come with a six-month grace period and a variety of repayment plans, most in the range of 10 to 15 years.  The amount you can borrow each year is based on your grade level, and ranges from $5,500 for dependent freshmen to $20,500 for graduate students.

PLUS Loans

You may or may not see a PLUS Loan listed on your award letter.  This is a federal loan program that allows parents to borrow for their students, up to the student’s full cost of attendance.  Some schools include these to fill the gap between your financial aid and your cost of attendance, as a way of letting you know the option exists.  While you are guaranteed to receive a Stafford Loan regardless of your credit, so long as you complete a few basic requirements, PLUS Loans, like private loans, require an application and a credit check (if your parents are denied a PLUS Loan, you can apply for additional Stafford Loans through the financial aid office).

Whether or not you see a PLUS Loan on your award letter, if you still need to borrow money to pay for school, this loan can be an option for many.  PLUS Loans currently carry a fixed interest rate of 7.9 percent for Direct Loans and 8.5 percent for FFEL.  Loans can be repaid immediately or starting six months after graduation, but interest will accrue while you’re in school.  Research the relative merits of PLUS Loans and various private loans and discuss with your family which option will be best for you.

Posted: under College Costs, FAFSA, Financial Aid, Student Loans, Tips.
Tags: award letter, college admissions, College Costs, college students, college tips, FAFSA, Financial Aid, Perkins Loans, PLUS Loan, private loans, stafford loans, Work-Study

Comments (0) Apr 14 2009