Tool Compares States’ Education Programs
U.S. states differ in education levels, college faculty pay, student enrollments, and more. This tool from the Chronicle of Higher Education lets you quickly compare them. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentVietnam, US Upgrade Partnership; Activists Critique Silence on Human Rights
Hanoi and Washington have announced an upgrade in bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the top designation in Vietnam’s diplomatic hierarchy. A U.S. strategy of noninterference into Vietnam’s domestic politics has been crucial to Hanoi agreeing to the deal, experts say, but activists and rights groups are frustrated by the lack of focus on human rights as the crackdown on civil society worsens in the Southeast Asian country. U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Hanoi on Sunday to meet with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. That afternoon, Trong and Biden announced they had agreed to a comprehensive strategic partnershipmore
Leave a commentUS House’s Bipartisan Measures Target Iran Over Woman’s Death, Missile Program
The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved measures Tuesday targeting Iran for its human rights record and placing restrictions on the country’s ability to import or export its expanding arsenal of weapons. The measures would impose a series of sanctions on Iran’s supreme leader, president and other individuals as Washington seeks to further punish the Islamic Republic ahead of the one-year anniversary of nationwide protests. The resolutions will now go to the Senate, where it is unclear if the Democratic-controlled chamber will take them up. The first bill takes aim at Iran’s production and exports of missiles and drones by sanctioning individualsmore
Leave a commentRoad to Grad School for 1 Afghan Student Has Been Far From Simple
Amena Sadat, a political science Ph.D. student at the University of California, Riverside, fled Afghanistan with only the clothes on her back after the Taliban took over. Her educational journey has been harrowing. Many of her family members did not want her to study, and one, a local politician, even canceled a scholarship rather than award it to her. But she did not give up. Imran Ghori reports for the university publication Inside UCR. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentAffirmative Action Ban Affects Elite Hiring, Not Just Elite Admissions
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling eliminating affirmative action in college admissions only applies to higher education, many elite industries, such as consulting and investment banking, that hire students right out of college may struggle to meet their own diversity goals, according to an article in Forbes. While firms have promised to broaden their search, some observers are questioning their dependence on elite schools in the first place. Forbes investigates.(August 2023) …
Leave a commentNorth Carolina School Will Offer Early Admissions for First-Generation Students
Many selective universities in the U.S. offer “early action,” which can boost a student’s chances of getting in if they apply early. These programs have been criticized, since underprivileged students are often unfamiliar with the deadlines and unable to get their applications in on time. Now, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, plans to only offer the option to students who are the first members of their families to attend college. Liam Knox has more for Inside Higher Ed. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentCan 14th Amendment Keep Trump From Seeking a Second Term?
A new lawsuit to bar former President Donald Trump from appearing on the 2024 Colorado primary ballot has revived a legal and political debate over an obscure provision of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, a progressive watchdog, filed the lawsuit on behalf of six Colorado voters on Wednesday. It claims that Trump is ineligible to run for the White House again because he supported an “insurrection” against the Constitution on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the Congressional certification ofmore
Leave a commentHow to Make Money While Studying in Another Country
Life as an international student brings its own set of financial challenges, and unless you are independently wealthy, you’ll need a plan to stay afloat while studying abroad. While different countries have different restrictions, Investor Times has some suggestions to help you make money while going to school. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentCould ‘Google Effect’ Make You Less Smart?
A 2011 study claimed that information learned from Googling is less valuable because we don’t remember it. There was academic controversy over the findings, but new follow-up research suggests the “Google Effect” is real. The easier it is to find information, the less likely you are to retain it. Jill Barshay summarizes the research for The Hechinger Report. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentWant to Stay in the US and Work After School? Here’s What You Need to Know
A lot of international students enjoy studying in the United States so much that they want to work there after graduation. There are different paths and strategies for getting a job in the U.S. after getting a degree. Liberty Okechukwu from After School Africa explains what you need to know to work in the U.S. when your classes end. (August 2023). …
Leave a commentStudent Visa Denials Are Rising, and African and South American Applicants Bear the Brunt
From 2015 to 2022, visa denials for South American students rose sharply (from 10% to 24%), and African students were the most likely to be denied overall. However, demand remains stronger than ever, with the U.S. State Department setting a new record for student visas in 2022. Emi Tuyetnhi Tran examines the research for NBC. (July 2023) …
Leave a commentProsecutors Seeking New Indictment for Hunter Biden
Federal prosecutors plan to seek a grand jury indictment of President Joe Biden’s son Hunter before the end of the month, according to court documents filed Wednesday. The filing came in a gun possession case in which Hunter Biden was accused of having a firearm while being a drug user, though prosecutors did not name exactly which charges they will seek. He has also been under investigation by federal prosecutors for his business dealings. Prosecutors under U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss, newly named a special counsel in the case, said they expect an indictment before Sept. 29. Hunter Biden’smore
Leave a commentUS Lawmakers Have 10 Working Days to Keep the Government Open
US lawmakers face a long list of priorities as they return to work this week after their monthlong August recess. With battles looming over U.S. aid to Ukraine and a possible impeachment of President Joe Biden, the top concern remains funding the U.S. government to keep it from shutting down on Oct. 1. VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson has more. …
Leave a commentHigh School Career Adviser, Once Deported From US, Helps Star Student Win Full Scholarship
Ashley Villareal grew up in rural Kansas. Her parents didn’t have college degrees or know much English. Despite her outstanding grades, she seemed unlikely to make it to college – until a college counselor with a similar background stepped in to help. Read the inspiring story from Nick Fouriezos in USA Today. (July 2023) …
Leave a commentHow to Plan Finances if You Want to Study Medicine in the US
If you plan to study medicine in the United States, you need to plan your finances first. Even schools that don’t carry the prestige of universities like Harvard or Stanford will require fees, tuition, books and materials, and you’ll need to cover living expenses for the eight years it takes to get an undergraduate and medical degree. The Education Desk of The Indian Express has some tips for helping students and parents prepare. (August 2023) …
Leave a commentColleges Respond to US Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Ruling With Bans of Their Own
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has forbidden the use of “race, sex, color and ethnicity” in admissions, in response to a Supreme Court decision that banned affirmative action there and at Harvard. However, the school will be free for all applicants whose families make less than $80,000. The Associated Press has the story. (July 2023) …
Leave a commentIndiana Students Practice Public Speaking Skills in Virtual Reality
All students at Indiana University are required to take a public speaking course. Now, they can practice their oratory in front of a simulated audience using a headset. The software judges the student’s skills, and the “audience” responds accordingly with boredom or interest. Ashley Mowreader breaks down the program in Inside Higher Ed. (July 2023) …
Leave a commentStudents Transform Their Drab Dorm Rooms Into Comfy Living Spaces
From $300 studded headboards and $100 coffee table books to custom-made cabinets to disguise your mini-fridge, students are spending big bucks to decorate their dorm rooms, adding yet another layer to the soaring costs of college. Some are even going so far as to hire interior designers to beautify their 12 feet by 20 feet of space. Lesley Lachman, 18, planned her furnishings for her dorm room with her roommate immediately after deciding to attend the University of Mississippi back in May. The Rye, New York resident scoured websites like Pinterest and designed her room herself — with hues ofmore
Leave a commentPoliticians, Officials Reflect on Death of Bill Richardson
Politicians and officials are sharing memories and reflections on the life of Bill Richardson following news of his death on Saturday. The two-term governor of the U.S. state of New Mexico, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and worked to free detained Americans, died in his sleep at his home in Chatham, Massachusetts. He was 75. In a statement Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden said Richardson wore many weighty titles during his life – member of Congress, governor, ambassador, Cabinet secretary. “He seized every chance to serve and met every new challenge with joy, determined tomore
Leave a commentTexas AG’s Impeachment Trial Rests With Fellow Republicans
Billionaires, burner phones, alleged bribes: The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is going to test the will of Republicans senators to oust not only one of their own, but a firebrand who has helped drive the state’s hard turn to the right for years. The historic proceedings set to start in the state Senate Tuesday are the most serious threat yet to one of Texas’ most powerful figures after nine years engulfed by criminal charges, scandal and accusations of corruption. If convicted, Paxton — just the third official in Texas’ nearly 200-year history to be impeached —more
Leave a commentBiden Heads to Florida to Survey Storm Damage; No DeSantis Meeting Set
U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Florida on Saturday to survey damage caused by Hurricane Idalia and comfort people affected by the storm, but he will not be meeting Ron DeSantis, the state’s Republican governor and a potential presidential rival. Biden, a Democrat, told reporters on Friday he would see the governor during the trip, but DeSantis’s spokesman Jeremy Redfern said later that no meeting was planned and that “the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts.” DeSantis, 44, is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination to oustmore
Leave a commentUS Election Workers Getting Death Threats, Warnings They Will Be Lynched, Officials Say
More than a dozen people nationally have been charged with threatening election workers by a Justice Department unit trying to stem the tide of violent and graphic threats against people who count and secure the vote. Government employees are being bombarded with threats even in normally quiet periods between elections, secretaries of state and experts warn. Some point to former President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly and falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen and spreading conspiracy theories about election workers. Experts fear the 2024 election could be worse and want the federal government to do more to protectmore
Leave a commentProud Boy Convicted of Helping Spearhead Jan. 6 Attack Sentenced to 18 Years
A one-time leader in the Proud Boys far-right extremist group has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, tying the record for the longest sentence in the attack. Ethan Nordean was one of several members convicted of spearheading an attack on the U.S. Capitol to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election. Nordean was “the undisputed leader on the ground on January 6,” said prosecutor Jason McCullough. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence themore
Leave a commentTuition Discounts on the Rise, but Are They Going to Neediest Applicants?
U.S. colleges often slash thousands of dollars off the “sticker price” to entice students to enroll. The more options a student has, the bigger the discount a college needs to offer. However, the savings have disproportionately gone to white and Asian applicants. “Put merit in quotation marks,” says one admissions official. “It’s not really about rewarding students for their wonderful performance in high school, as much as it is trying to change that student’s enrollment decision.” Read more from Jill Barshay in The Hechinger Report. (July 2023) …
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