Universities Weblog

College is getting more expensive, and families are finding that the amount of federal aid available to students is not keeping up with expenses. That is where private student loan programs can help.

This press release from our sponsor, Edvisors Network, explains:

Quincy, MA (PRWEB) June 7, 2006 — A recent article in the New York Times highlighted what many students already knew - that not only was college getting more expensive, but the amount of federal aid available to students is not keeping up with rising education costs. [1

A revision and update to the EFC, or Expected Family Contribution, formula for the 2005-2006 school year translates into an increase in what families have to pay before federal aid can kick in. In the New York Times study (June 6, 2005), the average amount of additional money that families must come up with is $1,749 per year, with some families experiencing increases between $6,000 - $7,000. [1

Why is the shift of the financial burden moving increasingly towards families? Part of the overall formula for determining federal financial aid is the rate of inflation - as inflation increases, the number of dollars that a family has would be expected to increase.

For example, a family with a household income of $50,000 in the year 2000 would be expected, based on a 3% inflation rate year over year, to have an income of $57,964. in 2005. By that assumption, the family would have more money to spend on education, and therefore federal aid could be reduced. [2

However, there is a flaw in the formula used to compute federal financial aid, and that flaw is this: the projected rate of inflation which the formula is based on does not necessarily reflect the actual rate of inflation. As a result, the formula assumes people make more money - in some cases, much more - than they actually do.

What is the solution for the increased gap between federal aid and the actual cost of education? Private student loans, such as the Act Education Loan from the Student Loan Network, can help to bridge the gap between federal aid, the actual cost of education, and expected family contribution. Loans such as the Act Education Loan are independent of federal financial aid computations, and are based on the creditworthiness of the borrower, rather than need-based formulas.

Undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students can apply for alternative student loans at www.ActEducationLoans.com http://www.AlternativeStudentLoan.com at any time; students are strongly encouraged to have a co-signer. Parents of K-12 students can also apply for private school loans at www.ActEducationLoans.com http://www.AlternativeStudentLoan.com. Students and families can also apply by phone by calling toll-free (866) 229-8900.

[1 To read the original New York Times article, visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/education/06aid.html

[2 http://www.finaid.org/savings/tuition-inflation.phtml.

This post is sponsored by Edvisors Network. Visit www.EdvisorsNetwork.com for more information.

They're walking marketing brochures, those campus tour guides, echoing the positive spins on life in the classrooms, cafeterias, libraries and dorms. They're well trained, too, as this New York Times piece demonstrates.

Here's a bit:

[D]espite all the money that colleges and universities spend on brochures, Web sites and other marketing efforts, high school students and their parents often base their impressions of an institution on the young man or woman who has led them around campus for 45 minutes.

As a result, Tufts, and most other colleges and universities, invest considerable time and effort in training their tour guides and preparing them for the delicate situations that can arise.

You can find the article here.

(Source: Indiana University)

Remember the days when men dominated college campuses, especially the elite, Eastern-establishment institutions? No, you probably don't. We're talking the 1960s. Nowadays, women are more prevalent on college campuses, and reportedly are earning better grades.

Consider this from the New York Times:

Department of Education statistics show that men, whatever their race or socioeconomic group, are less likely than women to get bachelor's degrees - and among those who do, fewer complete their degrees in four or five years. Men also get worse grades than women.

All of this has helped set off intense debate over whether these trends show a worrisome achievement gap between men and women or whether the concern should instead be directed toward the educational difficulties of poor boys, black, white or Hispanic.

Read the full article here.

Thinking of majoring in English, or pursuing the subject in graduate school? Considering a career as an English prof, or simply wondering what one might do with an English degree?

If any of the above rings true, check out this Chronicle of Higher Education essay on why a particular professor chose English, and why his students are following suit. You may recognize yourself among them, and perhaps find some validation along the way.

eNotes.com has announced today that its business section
now combines several business encyclopedias along with essential tools
for the small businessperson or business researcher.

Along with encyclopedias of finance, management, and small business,
business.enotes.com also includes business plans, profiles of major business leaders, histories of the world's most successful marketing plans, company histories for the world's biggest companies, and business reports for over 450,000 companies worldwide. This impressive collection of materials is available in eNotes' trademark easy-to-use format complete with cross references, PDF downloads, and printer-friendly pages.

Visit business.enotes.com to take a tour of the web's best business content in one place.

> eNotes.com is based in Seattle, Washington
> Online since 2002
> Leading site for education and reference
> One of the most-visited sites for students

Scientists with the U.S. space agency NASA said Saturday that the orbiting telescope's camera shut down earlier in the week after sensors reported problems with its power supply.

The Hubble telescope orbits 600 kilometers above the earth. It uses precision optics and other instruments to send back images of the universe that can not be equaled by ground-based telescopes.

NASA scientists said they have yet to determine the nature of the fault. They said some problems could be corrected by radio control from the ground, while others would require physical repairs to the telescope.

NASA already has been considering the possibility of a repair mission to Hubble to extend its service life.

Source: Voice of America

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