Paying for College
Education news, analysis, and opinion about how students and families finance college tuition, including through student loans, Pell Grants and other financial aid
Federal
3 Things to Know About the New Bill Promising 'Debt-Free' Higher Education
The Democrats announced that their legislation would be a "sweeping reauthorization" of the nation's Higher Education Act. So what's in the bill?
College & Workforce Readiness
Testing, Bachelor's Degrees and More: the Most-Read 'High School & Beyond' Posts of 2017
The most-read blog posts of 2017 show a wide-ranging interest in financial aid, the value of high school diplomas and bachelor's degrees, and, yes, testing screwups.
College & Workforce Readiness
FAFSA Hacker Pleads Guilty to Trying to Get Trump Tax Info
A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to federal charges in a hacking scheme that shut down a key piece of the federal financial aid system earlier this year.
College & Workforce Readiness
Proposed Higher-Ed Revamp Could Shake Up Student Aid, Teacher Prep
Republicans in Congress want to simplify student aid forms in their rewrite of the Higher Education Act. But they also would end student-loan forgiveness programs that help some teachers, and would shut off funding for teacher-preparation programs.
College & Workforce Readiness
Financial Aid Awareness and Counseling Enhanced Under GOP Higher-Ed Bill
A Republican bill to overhaul the Higher Education Act would require schools to notify students by 10th grade that financial aid could help them afford college. It also requires "enhanced" financial-aid counseling.
Federal
Higher Ed. Overhaul Would Change FAFSA, Along With Teacher-Prep Oversight
A House bill contains significant changes to how high school students apply for federal aid for college, as well as the information about colleges provided by the federal government to prospective students and their families.
College & Workforce Readiness
Mobile FAFSA to Debut in Spring 2018
The U.S. Department of Education plans to roll out a mobile app for the FAFSA in the spring of 2018.
College & Workforce Readiness
Making the FAFSA Even Easier: Apply for Financial Aid on Your Phone
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announces plans to offer a mobile phone app for the FAFSA, the latest in a series of steps in recent years to make it easier to apply for financial aid for college.
College & Workforce Readiness
11 Steps Colleges Should Take to Help Low-Income Students
Colleges and universities have a duty to help low-income students surmount the many barriers they face in the application process, and 11 key practices could help them do that, a new report says.
Federal
Republican Tax Proposal Dumps Key College Deductions
The tax reform bill unveiled by House Republicans last week ends a popular deduction: for interest paid on student loans.
College & Workforce Readiness
College Prices Rise Moderately, But Still Outstrip Student Aid
A pair of new reports shows moderate annual rises in college prices, but students still struggle to get enough financial aid to cover all their expenses.
College & Workforce Readiness
Automated Tax-Retrieval Tool to Return to FAFSA
The data-retrieval tool for federal financial aid forms will be back up and running by Oct. 1. It has been down since last spring because of security problems.
College & Workforce Readiness
Feds Announce FAFSA Security Changes, Sparking New Worries
In response to a major security breach, federal officials have announced a change to the financial-aid application that some worry could discourage students from applying for the support they need to go to college.
College & Workforce Readiness
Earlier Financial-Aid Timetable: Did It Make a Difference?
Many colleges and universities sent out financial-aid decisions earlier this year, in response to big changes in the schedule for submitting the FAFSA.