College starts costing families money long before the acceptance letter arrives. SAT and ACT scores influence not only admission, but also financial aid: higher scores help students qualify for more types of financial aid. It is possible to spend a lot of money on test prep, but it is not necessary. There are a lot… [Read More]
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Tag: college admissions and costs
Paying for College: College and Credentialism
One of the many conundrums in labor economics is whether a college graduate has attained skills or acquired a credential. A diploma is just a piece of paper, albeit a pretty one; it is given only after a lot of hard work. But what does it mean? This is what we know: the paper may… [Read More]
Paying for college: The Northwestern Academy
Last year, the University of Chicago announced the UChicago Promise, an initiative to prepare Chicago Public Schools students for competitive college applications. This year, Northwestern University has announced a similar program, the Northwestern Academy. It’s terrific. NU will work with 200 students at CPS schools that are NOT part of the selective enrollment elite. The… [Read More]
Paying for college: Colleges will be closing and merging
Recently, the Wall Street Journal ran an article on enrollment declines facing private colleges that may lead to closures and mergers. The story is right on, but it made me wistful because I pitched a similar story to almost every business publication out there five years ago or so. Such is the life of a… [Read More]
Paying for college: Should you go Greek?
Fraternities and sororities are expensive, but they are also a key part of life on many college campuses. Are they worth it? I was in a sorority. In hindsight, I’m not sure it was worth the money, but I am still friends with many of my sisters. If I bought my friends, I bought good… [Read More]
