What's News
The Real Cost of College Is Flattening as Schools Give More Scholarships
After increasing for decades, the real cost of attending both public and private college is flat and in some cases even declined this year, as colleges compete for fewer students by giving away more scholarships.
If that sounds counterintuitive, it’s because the sticker price for higher education continues to inch up even though fewer students actually pay it, according an annual pricing-trends report by the College Board, a New York nonprofit that administers the SAT and tracks university costs.
Changes to Public Charge Determination Threaten Immigrant Families
Last week, the Trump administration proposed changes to the “public charge” determination that is part of the visa evaluation for immigrants. This determination allows immigration officials to consider whether an immigrant will become reliant on government assistance, and it can be used to deny visas. For a fuller definition that you can share with families, please see this resources page from Protecting Immigrant Families, a collaboration between the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC).
While this review has always included cash benefits like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Trump administration is proposing that more programs be added to the review list. The expanded list would include government supports such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Importantly, free and reduced-price lunch and Title IV federal student aid, including the Pell Grant, are not included. However, NCAN is already hearing from a few members that families are concerned about filing the FAFSA due to misinformation about these changes.
For-Profit College Attendance Linked to Poor Financial Outcomes
A paper released last month by researchers at Stanford University, Cornell University and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that students have worse job outcomes and increased risk of defaulting on student loans when they attend for-profit institutions.
Stats in Brief
U.S. Department of Education October 2018 NCES 2019-404
What High Schoolers and Their Parents Know About Public 4-Year Tuition and Fees in Their State
Although most students
Audio Podcast featuring Lande Ajose
California Student Aid Commission, Chair
California Community Colleges Chancellor, Eloy Oakley, welcomed California Student Aid Commission, Chair and Executive Director for California Competes, Lande Ajose, to a discussion exploring the role that California’s community colleges can expect to play in preparing students to meet the 2 million-worker, “middle-skills” job shortage that California is projected to face by 2025.
Why and how students can apply for food stamps in college
Students can apply and even qualify for food stamps in college. There are requirements, but it's money on the table for eligible students.
College students can be eligible for CalFresh benefits, and, for students who need help with food, it could be a matter of leaving money on the table.
While students applying for CalFresh might seem unusual, it has been a part of University of California effort to address food insecurity on campuses. Student enrollment in CalFresh was proved to be a missing piece for Yolo County’s low participation numbers from eligible persons a few years ago.
Student Week of Action
Join Us for Undocumented Student Week of Action
I invite you to join the Campaign for College Opportunity, along
with students, educators, and organizations across the state as
we take part in the California Community College’s Undocumented
Student Week of Action from October 15th through 19th.
Throughout the week, California Community College campuses,
students, educators, and partner organizations will meet with
local representatives, sign petitions and postcards in support of
DACA, and host daily webinars and conversations on how to best
serve undocumented students.
NCAN Report:
Students in Impoverished School Districts Are Less Likely to Apply for Financial Aid
The 2019-20 FAFSA cycle begins today, and NCAN is releasing a new report on the relationship between school district poverty and FAFSA completion rates. One might hope to see students in lower-income districts applying for aid at higher rates than their wealthier counterparts, but the findings show – for the third year in a row – that the opposite is true.
Rice University announces free tuition for middle income undergraduate students
Rice University officials announced Tuesday they will provide full tuition scholarships to undergraduate domestic students from low- and middle-income backgrounds starting in the fall of 2019, the latest effort by a major university to respond to rising concerns about soaring higher-education costs and burdensome student debt.
Sacramento wants to promise more access to college; critics worry they will miss the mark
CSUS is showcased on a beautiful June day
In the first joint meeting of the council and the school board since 1999, the Sacramento City Council and the Sacramento City Unified School Board committed to working towards a Regional College Promise program that will attempt to get more high school students to go to college.
According to the City Council and School Board report, 68 percent of all jobs in California will require a postsecondary degree by 2020. By 2030, the state of California will be short 1.1 million workers with bachelor’s degrees — the College Promise Program aims to tackle that problem.
Facebook announces partnership with community colleges
Facebook announced on Aug. 27 that it is working with Canada College in Redwood City and Foothill College in Los Altos to develop a digital marketing certificate that will be offered through those community colleges.
The courses are expected to be available to students for enrollment in early 2019, and will teach students how to use Facebook and Instagram for business marketing, among other skills, said Facebook officials.
Colleges use texting to tackle summer melt
Growing efforts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds is renewing attention around the longtime issue of summer melt, which affects low-income students disproportionally, The Washington Post reported.
The SAT Mess That’s Not Going Away
Class action suit says College Board’s use of recycled questions hurt all test takers. Some push for scores from August to be abandoned; advocates for international students say they are being scapegoated.
By Scott Jaschik September 4, 2018
I’m a Doctor and Even I Can’t Afford My Student Loans
When the highest earners struggle with the cost of education, the nation needs to get serious about the problem.
Last week, the New York University School of Medicine became the second medical school in the nation to become fully tuition-free. Dr. Robert Grossman, dean of the medical school, cited young physicians’ “crushing debt” as an impetus for the move. One may think that doctors, with their gigantic salaries, are immune to student debt worries, but Dr. Grossman’s announcement made official what many medical school students have long known: The crisis of paying for education has finally caught up with the one percent.
Is Jerry Brown’s Chipotle model the right recipe for higher education?
Like a burrito with too many jalapeños, Gov. Jerry Brown’s comments that higher education in California should be more like Chipotle — with a limited menu of courses — gave some people indigestion.
California Department of Education
Cal Grant Grade Point Average Submission Reminder
We welcome you back to school and look forward to another successful year as we partner together to provide financial aid options to all of your college-bound students. Our goal is to provide information and resources that will assist high schools with successfully submitting senior grade point averages (GPAs) and monitoring their students throughout the Cal Grant award process.
Turlock ranks high in nation for students hoping to cover college costs with jobs
A new report ranks Turlock sixth among the nation’s college towns for students hoping to cover tuition and fees with part-time jobs.
Credit the relatively low cost of California State University, Stanislaus, and a minimum wage that is higher than most states.
The rankings are by Student Loan Hero Inc., an online source of help with college costs. It compiled tuition and fees at four-year campuses across the United States and the pay of students working 15 hours a week at the minimum wage.
Feds Say Marketplace Will Expose Bad Colleges, But States Find It’s Not So Easy
Post-college salary data isn’t reaching students who could benefit most
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos plans to help students pick a college and a major by publishing more information about how much they might earn and owe after graduation. But, as experience from nearly two dozen states illustrates, the plan will be challenging to implement, and it’s unclear whether teenagers and other prospective college students will use the new information to make decisions.
Sacramento State News
Downtown venue puts Sac State in midst of capital's action
Sacramento State has officially planted its green-and-gold flag in the central city.
The University celebrates the grand opening of Sacramento State Downtown – at 304 S St. – from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, further cementing its position as an important partner in the capital.
“Our presence downtown validates Sacramento State as California’s capital university and ensures our place as Sacramento’s university, its ‘anchor’ university,” says Sac State President Robert S. Nelsen
They didn’t think they could afford Berkeley;
African American Initiative made it possible
Desmarie Jackson never thought she’d be accepted to UC Berkeley; she didn’t have the smarts or the money, she thought. Turns out she was wrong on both counts.
Desmarie, 17, was accepted as a freshman, beginning this fall. And thanks to the African American Initiative Scholarship, she can afford school, too.