Biden Administration Urges Colleges to Pursue Racial Diversity Without Affirmative Action

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New guidance from the Biden administration on Monday urges colleges to use a range of strategies to promote racial diversity on campus after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in admissions. Colleges can focus their recruiting in high minority areas, for example, and take steps to retain students of color who are already on campus, including by offering affinity clubs geared toward students of a certain race. Colleges can also consider how an applicant’s race has shaped personal experience, as detailed in students’ application essays or letters of recommendation, according to the new guidance. It also encourages them tomore

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Collegiate Athletes, Including International Students, Can Receive Scholarship Aid

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In U.S. collegiate sports, schools sometimes give full scholarships to students who commit to a team, including international ones. Some sports are dominated by international students, such as women’s tennis: 66% of top-tier Division I players are not from the U.S. However, there is mounting domestic pressure for schools to focus on financial need, and not athletic ability, and scholarships are often swallowed up by the high tuition and cost of living in the U.S. Sophie Hogan of The PIE News has more. (July 2023) …

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How to Plan for College Tuition

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With President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program shelved, many families are wondering whether school is affordable. Ron Lieber and Tara Siegel Bernard, financial aid experts, answer reader questions on international tuition, savings plans, merit scholarships and more. See the questions – and ask one of your own – in The New York Times. …

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Differences Between Colleges and Universities for International Students

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Different countries use different names for education institutions, which can lead to confusion. For example, in Spanish-speaking countries, colegio means high school, so many international students ignore U.S. schools with “college” in the name. In the U.S., colleges are usually smaller and focused on undergraduates, while universities are larger and offer both graduate and undergraduate programs. Kelly Mae Ross and Anayat Durrani explain the difference in US News and World Report. (July 2023) …

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Judges Halt Rule Offering Student Debt Relief for Those Alleging Colleges Misled Them

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A federal appeals court on Monday halted a rule from President Joe Biden’s administration that could make it easier to obtain student loan debt relief for borrowers who say they were victims of misleading information about the quality of education they would receive. At issue is a rule broadening existing policy ending the debt of students who borrowed money to attend colleges and universities that are determined to have misled them on matters such as whether their courses would actually prepare them for employment in their field or the likely salary they would earn upon obtaining a degree. Career Collegesmore

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Where US Schools Are Recruiting International Students — Report

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According to a recent report, U.S. colleges are most interested in international students from India, with 57% prioritizing undergraduate outreach there. Outreach to Vietnam, South Korea and Brazil are next. For graduate students, India is again in first place, but China, Nigeria and Vietnam are also attracting strong interest. As U.S. enrollments decline, colleges are looking abroad — there were more than 900,000 international students in the U.S. in 2022. Read the report from Julie Baer and Mirka Martel of the Institute of International Education. (July 2023) …

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Conservative Groups Sue to Block Biden Plan Canceling $39 Billion in Student Loans

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Two conservative groups are asking a federal court to block the Biden administration’s plan to cancel $39 billion in student loans for more than 800,000 borrowers. In a lawsuit filed Friday in Michigan, the groups argue that the administration overstepped its power when it announced the forgiveness in July, just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down a broader cancellation plan pushed by President Joe Biden. It asks a judge to rule the cancellation illegal and stop the Education Department from carrying it out while the case is decided. The suit was filed by the New Civil Liberties Alliance onmore

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With Race-based Affirmative Action Out, College Admissions Essays Could Offer Insight

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The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled affirmative action, or preferential admissions for underrepresented groups, unconstitutional. However, the court ruling said applicants can still mention their background and life experiences in a personal essay. Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed writes that discussing race, whether as “discrimination, inspiration or otherwise,” is acceptable; going back to the old system, and engineering college cohorts by racial category, is not. With the rules unclear, colleges are struggling to obey the letter of the law. Read Jaschik’s article for more information. (July 2023) [[ …

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Public Investment Seen Aiding Struggling College Students in Getting Degree

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At CUNY, the public university system in New York City, officials found that investment in students increases their chances of graduating by almost double. CUNY’s highly successful ASAP program gives at-risk students financial aid, unlimited public transit access and intensive one-on-one advising. The city believes it’s a win-win, and claims the return is three times the investment because graduates earn more money and pay more taxes. Read more in an op-ed from Elizabeth Davidson Pisacreta and Katherine Giardello in The Hechinger Report. (July 2023) …

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US Colleges Consider How to Maintain Diversity on Campus After Affirmative Action Ruling

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The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions, ruling that consideration of a student’s race to help decide who is admitted to higher education institutions was unconstitutional. Yet there are other ways to keep college in reach for everyone: one is to admit the top graduates of every high school and another is to encourage more students to transfer in from two-year community colleges. Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed weighs the merits of each. (July 2023) …

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Colleges Consider Guidance on Hosting Foreign Cultural Centers

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Many countries practice cultural diplomacy by funding research centers at colleges, such as Germany’s Goethe Institutes or the U.K.’s British Council. But in the U.S., China’s Confucius Institutes have been accused of stealing scientific research and intimidating campus critics of Beijing. A new report from the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine provides recommendations for colleges that aim to balance cultural openness with security risks. Natalie Schwartz of Higher Ed Dive summarizes the findings. (July 2023)   …

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Princeton Student Pleads Guilty of Joining Mob’s Attack on Capitol 

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A man who was a Princeton University student when the FBI arrested him on charges related to the U.S. Capitol riot pleaded guilty on Monday to joining a mob’s attack on police officers during one of the most violent clashes on January 6, 2021.  Larry Fife Giberson was on the front lines when rioters attacked police officers in a tunnel on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. Giberson, 22, of Manahawkin, New Jersey, waved other rioters into the tunnel and then joined in a coordinated push against officers guarding an entrance to the building, according to a court filing.  Giberson triedmore

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Mother, 71, and Daughter, 50, Earn Degrees a Month Apart

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Yvonne Spann Sowers and her daughter Eyamba Sowers Scott say their thirst for lifelong learning brought them back to the classroom after fulfilling careers in public service. “I still felt like I needed to learn some more,” said Spann Sowers. They chose to become “non-traditional learners,” and despite age, self-doubt and medical issues, both succeeded. Read the whole story from Mary Walrath-Holdridge in USA Today. (July 2023) …

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The Real Scientists in ‘Oppenheimer’

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Many of actor Cillian Murphy’s colleagues in the new movie Oppenheimer are real scientists. The film, which chronicles the father of America’s atomic bomb, was filmed near the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Real nuclear scientists were recruited to pose as background extras in many scenes. Scientists explained their research to the actors, including Robert Downey Jr., and were consulted on many of the details of the film. Though they weren’t trained actors, it wasn’t too hard, they say. “As a scientist, I just had to be myself a little bit,” said one scientist. Stephanie M. Lee interviewsmore

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US Supreme Court Blocks Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan; What Options Do Students Have Now?

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President Joe Biden’s $400 billion plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debts for millions of Americans was effectively killed by the U.S. Supreme Court. However, there are smaller alternatives for borrowers. Some states, including some that challenged Biden’s plan, offer loan forgiveness programs, and federal programs exist for public service workers, people with disabilities and many others. Chris Quintana, Medora Lee and Alia Wong of USA Today round up the options for graduates. (July 2023) [[ ]]  …

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Top US Schools for International Students Seeking Financial Aid

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U.S. News & World Report has a breakdown on the 15 U.S. colleges offering the most financial aid for international students. International students, the article notes, often face high costs: “Not only are there expenses for tuition, housing, meal plans, books and supplies, but international students also have to pay for travel costs, including airline tickets and visa applications.” The average financial aid package at these schools tops $70,000. (June 2023)  …

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Foreign Enrollment Jumps at US Graduate Programs

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U.S. graduate programs are seeing a surge in foreign enrollment. So says ICEF Monitor, which describes itself as “a dedicated market intelligence resource for the international education industry.” It finds that Indian students, particularly master’s students, are driving the surge. Read the full story here. (June 2023)  …

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US on Track to Issue Most Student Visas Since 2016

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U.S. State Department officials and a recent report by ApplyBoard, a Canadian-based international student recruitment platform, indicate the United States is set to issue the most student visas in a year since fiscal 2016. The tally of visas issued in fiscal 2023 has passed 392,000 to date. In fiscal 2016, a total 471,728 F1 visas were issued. It could be close: Compared to fiscal 2022 — October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 — more than 411,131 international student visas were issued, including F1, according to the State Department. An F1 visa is for those attending an academic program ormore

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Should College Presidents Criticize Political Candidates?

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Higher education is under deep scrutiny from America’s 2024 presidential contenders. For example, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has tried to defund all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in Florida’s public universities. Many college leaders feel that academic freedom is under threat, and that they have to speak out to save it. But many others have remained silent. Josh Moody of Inside Higher Ed dives into their anxieties and motivations. (June 2023) …

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What Can a Hit Netflix Show Teach Us About Elite College Admissions?

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The show Never Have I Ever follows an Indian American girl growing up in Los Angeles, and a major plot point in its final season is her attempts to get into Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. The show explores the difficulties of getting a good recommendation letter, and the agonizing choice of whether to apply “early decision” or at the regular deadline. Scott Jaschik for Inside Higher Ed explores what the show gets right and what it doesn’t. (June 2023) …

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Scholarships Help Afghan Students Find Homes at Universities Across US

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DALLAS — As the Taliban swept back into power in Afghanistan, in the summer of 2021, Fahima Sultani and her fellow university students tried for days to get into the Kabul airport, only to be turned away by gun-wielding extremists. “No education, just go back home,” she recalled one shouting. Nearly two years later, Sultani, now 21, is safely in the U.S. and working toward her bachelor’s degree in data science at Arizona State University in Tempe on a scholarship. When she’s not studying, she likes to hike up nearby Tempe Butte, the kind of outing she enjoyed in hermore

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Why Are US Teens Struggling Academically?

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The latest “nation’s report card” saw large declines in math and reading for 13-year-olds. Math scores, in particular, saw the biggest decline in 50 years, and fewer teens than ever say they like to read for fun. Lauren Camera summarizes the findings for U.S. News and World Report. (June 2023) …

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