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Section: Blogs/Opinion

“Free” Tuition Unfair to Private Colleges

The “free” tuition that has found its way into the governor’s Executive Budget really isn’t. The Executive Budget proposes “free” tuition for New Yorkers making up to $125,000 per year who attend either the State University of New York or the City University of New York. The budget has also proposed that Tuition Assistance Programand […]

February 24, 2017

Lose the Jargon

Every work place has its jargon, but in the military this is especially true. In the Army and at the Soldier for Life – Transition Assistance Program, or SFL-TAP, words such as TOT (Time on Target), FOB (Forward Operating Base), and FFE (Fire for Effect) are often used. While these Army acronyms may be well-known […]

February 23, 2017

Support GI Bill and “Yellow Ribbon” Aid

I recently attended briefings on Capitol Hill, sponsored by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities at its annual meeting. On the agenda was launching the Independent College Caucus, a bipartisan initiative to recognize contributions of independent colleges and universities. Virginia’s U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte is a co-sponsor of the caucus, and I’ve invited […]

February 21, 2017

Let Students Explore Options

It might seem hypocritical for a University of Maryland student like me to write an essay warning of the perils of a society that over-emphasizes the significance of a college education. Regardless, this is an important issue the “educated” community largely ignores. Young Americans are not encouraged to consider a variety of life paths outside […]

February 17, 2017

Free Tuition: Here’s the Fine Print

As anyone who’s ever applied for financial aid knows, affordable tuition often seems possible only if you’re willing to fill out a thousand forms, provide test scores, grades and proof of awesomeness, and promise your first born to the college of your dreams. But what if you could go to college free of charge — […]

February 16, 2017

DeVos’s Lack of Experience Spells Trouble

If you have been paying attention at all then you know that the upheaval surrounding the appointment of Betsy Devos as the new education secretary is unprecedented. The petitions and the protests have been signed and joined by the millions. The backlash from this dismaying appointment isn’t just a unilateral opposition to everything Trump, but […]

February 14, 2017

Healing Invisible Wounds

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — I’m an ambassador for the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. As an ambassador, I’m an advocate for the program and I work in my local area to plan events which bring our wounded together. It’s a concept of family helping family. We are all in this great big Air Force […]

February 10, 2017

Colleges Should Do More for Veterans

In colleges today there are thousands of veterans attempting to use their GI Bill with roughly 700 attending the University of Wyoming. A lot of veterans are discouraged and end up dropping out of college, not just because of the time spent away from learning and other factors but because the stress colleges put on […]

February 9, 2017

Would DeVos Scale Back For-Profit Regulations?

The growing potential for Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos to support deregulation for for-profit colleges and rollback several guidelines for federal standards on postgraduate outcomes takes centerstage in a Huffington Post editorial this week. Author David Halperin explains that the for-profit industry has reaped billions in public funded student loans while leaving students with […]

February 7, 2017

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10 Things I Wish I Had Known About Transition

A year ago, my wife and I decided that we were at a decision point in my military career. Would we stay in after 10+ years of active service or transition to the civilian world? I have since spent countless hours trying to figure out what I really wanted to be when I “grew up.” […]

February 3, 2017

5 Ways to Boost Veteran Enrollment at Top Colleges

As the end of college admission season approaches, applicants anxiously await emails and letters revealing the results. Alongside nervous high school seniors, many veterans also wait for decisions. Unfortunately, our experience helping hundreds of veterans shows that all too often they are not setting their goals high enough and unfortunately not even taking the chance […]

February 2, 2017

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DeVos Doesn’t Know About Loans

President Donald Trump’s secretary of education pick Betsy DeVos has never taken out a student loan. Her four children have also never taken out student loans. She has no personal experience with the Pell Grant. This brings DeVos to a total of zero experience navigating federal financial aid, leaving her ill-equipped to lead the department […]

January 31, 2017

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Invisible Wounds

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) — I’m an ambassador for the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. As an ambassador, I’m an advocate for the program and I work in my local area to plan events which bring our wounded together. It’s a concept of family helping family. We are all in this great big Air […]

January 27, 2017

Tips for Veterans Returning to College

Going to college for a higher degree is a brilliant idea. But before you pick your favorite college and prepare to travel for miles to start a two or four- year course, you need to do some preliminary homework. Do you know that some college courses are specifically designed for NJ veterans like you? Here […]

January 26, 2017

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Some Academic Advice for Trump

The Trump administration will face myriad challenges, both foreign and domestic. The Record asked the presidents of Montclair State University, William Paterson University, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Ramapo College to briefly discuss some areas of concern. Higher education – The campaign of one Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, raised the issue […]

January 24, 2017

Trump, Colleges and the Economy

Two indisputable facts suggest why the 2016 election potentially is enormously consequential for America’s future. First, the compounding of interest leads to enormous growth in values over time, and, related to that, even modest differences in the assumed interest rate magnify into large longer run impacts. Second, the U.S. economy from the late 17th to […]

January 20, 2017

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Betsy Devos Flunked Her First Test

If confirmed as secretary of education, would Betsy DeVos promise not to strip funding from public schools? “I look forward, if confirmed, to working with you to talk about how we address the needs of all parents and all students,” the Republican donor and activist told a Senate committee in response. What are her proposals […]

January 19, 2017

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Trump, Make Adult Education a Priority

Donald Trump was elected president with the votes of millions of disenfranchised and unemployed workers who feel that they are not sharing in the country’s economic prosperity. One method of bringing this group back into the mainstream of working America is as old as the American dream itself, and that is education. While the value […]

January 17, 2017

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