Arts and Science Are Not Mutually Exclusive

All too often, science is considered the polar opposite of arts.  Dr. Mae Jemison speaks to the intersection of arts and science, given her own experience, as a dancer, doctor, chemical engineer and first African American female astronaut. “Many people,” she wrote, “do not see a connection between science and dance, but I consider them both to be expressions of…

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The Modern “Starving” Student

College alumni often joke about days as a “deprived” undergrad, only eating instant noodles—fast, filling meals on a limited budget—like a badge of honor.  Growing numbers of today’s college students, however, embody the literal meaning of “starving” college student. According to the Wall Street Journal: In 2010, the UC [University of California] system added a food-security question to its biannual student…

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Internships: The New Entry Level Job

Go to college. Then, get a job.  The old adage may have passed its time.  Now, the meme may be more like, “Compete to get into college.  Go to college; work unpaid internships every semester starting your freshman year, and each summer take more internships, then, hopefully, you’ll get a job by graduation.” According to a May 18, 2015 Washington Post article:…

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Student Debt in Seven Charts

Not all student debt is ruinous.  However, borrowing can be complex.  Loans spend tomorrow’s income today, and for college students, a promise of tomorrow’s income is spent to pay for expenses in the present day.  Understanding recent growth in student loans and the challenges of repayment can help potential student loan borrowers consider both the benefits and the risks before borrowing. For the last 30 years,…

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Ahead of the Curve: All About Financing A College Education

Thoughts from the news: Flip Side of Reducing Student Debt Is Increasing the Federal Deficit, New York Times, February 11, 2015—for every benefit, there is a cost Looking At Student Loan Defaults Through a Larger Landscape, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 19, 2015—student loan defaults are not only increasing, but also occurring earlier in the repayment period  Why You…

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Wait…I Have Student Debt?!?

In a recent survey published by the Brookings Institute, current college students with student debt were unaware of the exact loan amounts, as well as what they’d eventually repay.  At $1.2 Trillion and growing daily, total student debt may be more complicated than we, as a society understand. Highlights of the findings are below: At a public four-year colleges, 24% correctly estimated their…

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