College Archives - Wally Boston

Higher Ed Insights

March 1, 2016 Wally Boston

A week ago, research firm ITHAKA S+R published the results of its fall 2015 survey. More than 100 American higher education administrators and experts were invited to join a panel of advisors who have been asked to participate in two semi-annual surveys as part of their advisory roles. The Fall 2015 survey examined initiatives and strategies to improve degree completion rates, the quality of student learning and college affordability, and respondents evaluated and rated the initiatives and strategies.

Access and Affordability

A Benchmark for Making College Affordable – The Rule of 10

August 26, 2015 Wally Boston

As part of its ongoing contributions to improving higher education, the Lumina Foundation issued a white paper in August 2015, A Benchmark for Making College Affordable – The Rule of 10. The paper initially references the 45 percent increase in the cost of college over the past decade while the average family income rose only 7 percent over the same period.

Book Reviews

Will College Pay Off? A Guide to the Most Important Financial Decision You’ll Ever Make

July 1, 2015 Wally Boston

In his latest book, Dr. Peter Cappelli tackles the complex subject of Will College Pay Off? in consumer-friendly terms understandable by parents, students and policymakers. I admire his bold approach (full disclosure: he was a member of my doctoral dissertation committee) but as an active higher education participant, wonder if anyone can adequately describe and summarize all of the issues related to whether or not attending a particular college will pay off for a student.

Cost of a Degree

Australia’s Universities Considering Tuition Discounting

October 7, 2014 Wally Boston

An article in Inside Higher Ed discusses the efforts by the Australian government to deregulate tuition and fees by 2016 and the potential consequences for students if that occurs. Naturally, the discussion leads to tuition discounting as it exists in the United States. The writer references a July 2014 survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) that finds that among 401 nonprofit colleges and universities, nearly 90 percent of the freshmen class were receiving grants equivalent to nearly a 50 percent discount on tuition.

Access and Affordability

State Public Tuition Rate Legislation Creates New Education Options for Veterans

September 16, 2014 Wally Boston

Guest Post by George M. Vukovich, Director, Veterans Relations at American Public University System

A recent article on Money.com, “Why Veterans Will Soon Save Thousands on College,” provides promising information for veterans and their family members as they transition from the military environment to civilian life, college and beyond.

As a retired Marine, and advocate for veterans achieving higher education success, I truly appreciate the congressional effort to enact new legislation to assist veterans with immediate in-state residency standing for higher education tuition purposes.

Technology

Two-Minute Video Application for College

September 12, 2014 Wally Boston

Last week, Goucher College, a liberal arts college in Baltimore, Maryland, announced that it would allow prospective students the choice of submitting the standard college application including transcripts and recommendations or, alternatively, a two-minute video plus two samples of academic work.

The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that Goucher is taking a bolder step than other colleges that have incorporated videos into their application process.

Deliberating College Affordability

April 11, 2014 Wally Boston

Few topics dominate the discussion about higher education more than affordability. This is a global issue that deserves continual examination as to the relationship between the cost and outcomes of earning a degree. Central to this debate are a few publications that are capturing unique views that I’d like to share. First, I keep up with the British perspective by reading Times Higher Education, which covers research and policy articles addressing the cost benefits of college along with many other relevant topics.

Long-Term Planning Necessary for Financial Stability

April 4, 2014 Wally Boston

Stories about the financial challenges faced by higher education institutions are common and point to the need for boards and administration to adopt an approach to financial planning that ensures long-term stability. In the March 24 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Mark Keierleber writes about a number of smaller colleges that are adjusting to lower enrollments and the lagging economic recovery in “Financially Strapped Colleges Grow More Vulnerable.”

“The Rising Cost of Not Going to College” – Food for Thought

February 25, 2014 Wally Boston

Pew Research Center has just published a compelling report, “The Rising Cost of Not Going to College.” Based on a nationwide study of 2,000+ adults supplemented by recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Pew found that on almost every measure of economic and career attainment, Millenials (adults between the ages of 25 to 32) with a college degree outperform their counterparts with less education.

The Future of Financing College

October 24, 2013 Wally Boston

Sallie Mae Annual Report

In July, 2013, Sallie Mae released its annual report, “How America Pays for College.” Ipsos Public Affairs conducted the survey, which focuses on undergraduate students, ages 18 to 24 years old. Half of the survey population were enrolled students; the other half included parents of enrolled undergraduate students. The most recent edition of the report examines how Americans paid for college for the 2012-13 academic year, most likely relevant only for “traditional” students (18-24 year olds attending college full-time after high school graduation).A

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