The Wall Street Journal – Stephanie Banchero

“The Obama administration released proposed rules Tuesday that would crack down on how colleges and universities recruit students, advertise programs and award credit hours, part of an effort to strengthen oversight of federal student aid”(more)

Inside Higher Ed – Jennifer Epstein

“The U.S. Department of Education today released a set of proposed rules intended to prevent abuses of federal financial aid programs by establishing new consumer protections, ensuring that only eligible students receive federal aid, and clarifying the courses and programs for which students can use federal aid dollars.”(more)

Inside Higher Education (USA Today) – Scott Jaschik

“WASHINGTON — College leaders just about uniformly endorse the idea of community service by students. And college leaders just about uniformly endorse the idea of tax breaks to help pay for college. But combine those two concepts? Higher education isn’t excited about that idea.”(more)

The New York Times – Jacques Steinberg

“The envelope arrives with good news. The college is pleased to announce that the student has been offered acceptance and, if he or she is fortunate, some scholarship money.”(more)

Forbes – Russell K. Osgood

“I believe there is a strong case for modest student loans as part of a well-designed financial aid package. Today more than ever financial aid dollars are limited, even at well-endowed private colleges. These resources can be spread much further, thereby helping more students, if aid packages include a loan component. Importantly, if loans are capped at a modest amount, they are fully consistent with the core educational values of encouraging hard work and personal responsibility.”(more)

Wall Street Journal – Justin Lahart

“For high school students who graduated in 1972 and who eventually received a college baccalaureate, 58% got their degree within four years, according to data analyzed by economists John Bound at the University of Michigan, Michael Lovenheim at Cornell University and Sarah Turner. In contrast, just 44% of eventual BA recipients who graduated from high school in 1992 finished their college degree “on time.”(more)

The Guardian – Lola Adesioye

“There’s no doubt, therefore, that the student loans legislation – which cuts out private lenders as the middlemen in federal lending – that has just gone through Congress will provide some relief to the many millions of American students who are considering going to college and taking out federal loans in the future. But ultimately, the new measures – which were put in place to assist students financially and to provide greater access to higher education for more students – are lacking a vital component.”(more)

The Guardian – Claire Callender

“One the most sacrosanct features of university admissions in the UK is that they are “needs-blind”. Students’ academic ability and potential dictate whether they are offered a place. Their family income and any need for student financial support are, rightly, irrelevant in the decisions of admission tutors.”(more)

The Associated Press (The Oklahoman) – Jim Kuhnhenn

“More needy college students will have access to bigger Pell Grants, and future borrowers of government loans will have an easier time repaying them, under a vast overhaul of higher education aid that Congress passed Thursday and sent to President Barack Obama.”(more)

The New York Times – David M. Herszenhorn and Tamar Lewin

“Ending one of the fiercest lobbying fights in Washington, Congress voted Thursday to force commercial banks out of the federal student loan market, cutting off billions of dollars in profits in a sweeping restructuring of financial-aid programs and redirecting most of the money to new education initiatives.”(more)