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People of color who own small businesses in college towns say it's hard to sell to schools

Aug 15, 2022
Smaller operations report barriers to entering the educational procurement market, a study shows, despite commitments to diversity.
Terryl Calloway runs a small graphics and printing firm in Boston, a short distance from many campuses, but he says it’s been challenging to attract them as customers.
Meredith Nierman / GBH News

Colleges get creative to solve housing insecurity among students

Jul 29, 2022
At the University of Utah, students can live with alumni. One California school is using a parking garage as a stopgap.
A lack of affordable housing can be a barrier to attending college, so schools are trying to find alternatives.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Companies have sprung up to help students with mental health issues navigate college life

Jul 25, 2022
The services provide guidance for students seeking therapists in a new town, applying for test accommodations, and managing medications.
A variety of programs have emerged to help students with mental issues prepare for college.
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Massachusetts college eliminates loans and work requirements from student aid

Jun 13, 2022
Might other private colleges follow Williams College's lead?
Daniela Corona stands outside the admissions building where she works as a tour guide at Williams College.
Kirk Carapezza/GBH News

School counselor on navigating post-high school plans: “There are so many ways to approach this"

Apr 21, 2022
When the counselors at Sheboygan South High School in Wisconsin realized about 50% of their graduates weren't going to college, they put renewed focus on supporting alternative pathways for students.
There’s been a marked drop in college enrollment during the pandemic
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Does college prestige really matter? Maybe.

Apr 14, 2022
Your alma mater's ranking "will mean something, in some places, sometimes," says The New York Times' Ron Lieber.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Hiring based on skills instead of college degrees opens up opportunities for millions

Feb 17, 2022
As the labor market heats up, an increasing number of companies are pledging to change their approach to recruitment.
Degree inflation has made a college education almost mandatory. A hiring process based on skill could be more inclusive, and productive.
Rick Diamond/Getty Images

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More states are requiring high schoolers to complete financial aid application

Feb 16, 2022
Applications for federal aid for college have decreased, so schools and states are looking at ways to get more grants into students' hands.
In states that require high school students to fill out the FAFSA, the number of students applying for financial aid has gone up.
Tero Vesalainen/Getty Images

Historically Black colleges and universities are chronically underfunded

Nov 18, 2021
HBCU advocates say funding shortfalls mean less scholarship money and financial aid for students and can lead to lower graduation rates.
From 1957 to 2007, Tennessee State University, an HBCU, received far less money than it was due by virtue of its federal land-grant designation.
Damon Mitchell/WPLN News

College, though out of reach for many, seems key to financial stability

May 18, 2021
A Federal Reserve study shows the widening economic gap between those with a college degree and those without one.
Graduating helps. About three-quarters of the job losses during the pandemic occurred among people who lack bachelor’s degrees, according to an employment researcher.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images