258. Review of College News

Here are some links to today's stories about
college access and success.

by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

1. Top paying jobs for class of 2011, by Kaitlin Madden - #cnn: http://t.co/8gbnaWV - "Now, in 2011, we can at last say that things are really and truly looking up for new college grads. According to the annual survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, overall, employers plan to hire 19.3 percent more new college graduates this fall than they did in the fall of 2010, the first double-digit percentage increase since 2007."

2. Private student loans vs. federal student loans, by Sandra Block - http://usat.ly/jowvoW via @USATODAY - "But while some private loan rates look appealing, you should never sign up for one until you've maxed out on federal student loans. And even then, you should scrutinize the terms of the loan contract before you borrow. Here's why:"

3. Thank You for the Scholarship, by Kevin Kiley - Inside Higher Ed: http://bit.ly/mpsBUb - "Now that budgets are tight and fund-raising is difficult, however, some see compulsory thank-you notes as a tool to help ensure that donors stay connected to the college and see the benefits of their contributions, potentially leading to future donations."

4. 'College For All' Campaign Getting a Second Look, by Catherine Gewertz - http://t.co/GGkW3Is via @educationweek - "Two thirds of the jobs created in the United States by 2018 will require some postsecondary education, but of those, nearly half will go to people with occupational certificates or associate degrees, according to data cited in the report."

5. Federal Committee: Net-Price Calculators Have Potential, and Pitfalls - http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/federal-committee-net-price-calculators-have-potential-and-pitfalls/33604 - "Because the calculators will not be standardized, the report argues, prospective students may have a hard time comparing different colleges’ costs. The report also raises concerns that the calculators won’t be used by the neediest students, nor will they accurately compute merit aid."

6. Analysis Finds Graduation Rates Moving Up, by Christopher B. Swanson - http://t.co/khUzhW6 via @educationweek - "A new analysis of high school completion from the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center finds that the national graduation rate stands at 71.7 percent for the class of 2008, the most recent year for which data are available."

7. Summer Do's and Don'ts for College Applicants, by Peter Van Buskirk - The College Admissions Insider (usnews.com) - http://t.co/QEwJ2fU - "If you are a rising high school senior, how will you spend your summer months? The following do's and don'ts provide guidance in making good and productive choices."