Don't limit yourself to applying to one school, advisers say

“Don’t limit yourself to applying to only one school, advisers say” The Seattle Times Published 4/2/11 Retrieved 4/16/11 Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014670133_admissionside03m.html Intended Audience: college applicants Summary: The University of Washington is decreasing its admission rates and increasing tuition, especially for in-state residents. College advisers recommend applying to multiple colleges to increase the likelihood of acceptance. If finances are an issue they suggest getting started at local community colleges. If grades are good, interstate exchange programs are a great option for making out-of-state schools affordable. Key Point: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by applying only to one school. Relevance: Good, practical advice for college applicants. It’s easier to apply to a bunch of different schools on the first attempt than it is to re-apply to the same schools a second time.

Colleges that profit, students who don't

“Colleges that profit, students who don’t” by Will Bunch, Philadelphia Daily News The Seattle Times Published 4/9/11 Retrieved 4/16/11 Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014724680_profitcollege10.html Intended Audience: college students, college applicants Summary: Many graduates of for-profit career colleges are unable to find work in their respective career fields and therefore have no means to repay their ever-increasing student debt. The dilemma has caught the attention of the Obama administration which is proposing new regulations that would prevent students from getting federal loans to pay for tuition at colleges who do not enable enough students to find employment after graduation. Representatives of the career colleges maintain that the high percentage of their unemployed postgraduates is due to the colleges’ willingness to take a chance on more students from poorer economic backgrounds. Key Points • For-profit career college enrollment has increased to 11% of higher education. • These colleges are responsible for 48% of all defaults on federal student loans. • The majority of students who enroll in these for-profit career colleges are middle-income. Relevance: This is yet another example of how the rising cost of tuition and the decreasing quality of education are making higher education increasingly less attractive. The trends are the same whether it’s these for-profit career colleges or more traditional state universities, although state universities are facing these problems for slightly different reasons.

Why straight A's may not get you into UW this year

“Why straight A’s may not get you into UW this year” by Katherine Long The Seattle Times Published 4/2/11 Retrieved 4/16/11 Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014670294_admissions03m.html Intended Audience: college applicants, parents Summary: The University of Washington has reduced the number of in-state college applicants that will be accepted into their undergraduate program while increasing the number of out-of-state applicants. Washington high school seniors with high test scores and straight-A’s were denied admission while non-residents with lower grades were accepted. With a $5 billion state budget deficit, it was decided that accepting more non-residents who pay almost triple the tuition would be more economical, even if it meant turning away in-state valedictorians. Key Points • Out-of-state residents will now make up 30% of the entering freshman class, up from 27% last year. State schools in Oregon and Colorado have followed similar trends with non-residents comprising over 40% of the entering class. • In-state tuition is set at $8,701 per year while out-of-state tuition is $25,329 per year. • In-state applicants are not allowed to pay out-of-state tuition in hopes for a better chance of acceptance. Relevance: For some students – in-state applicants in this case – getting straight-A’s in all four years of high school, as difficult as that is, is simply not enough to get accepted into their school of choice if it happens to be in the same state in which they grew up. While additional activities such as community service and taking IB classes may guarantee them a place at other, even more prestigious colleges, it may still not be enough for the University of Washington. It’s a pretty sad compromise to trade top-notch students for lower-achieving non-residents just because they can bring the state more money – and temporarily at that. Many out-of-state students go back home and stimulate their own economies after graduation, leaving no long-term benefit for Washington’s economy.

Getting out of college classrooms and helping people

“Getting out of college classrooms and helping people” by Jerry Large
The Seattle Times
Published 2/20/11
Retrieved 3/6/11
Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrylarge/2014288362_jdl21.html
Intended Audience: general public, educators, college students

Summary: Seattle University is expanding its community service programs. Their goal is to increase students’ exposure and awareness of the community’s needs while taking an active role in addressing them. There are currently around 900 students participating at least one of the numerous programs created by the university. In addition, the school is teaming up with many nonprofits to allocate their services more meaningfully.

Key Point: Seattle University has expanded its community service program despite a poor economy.

Relevance: In the midst of economic hardship, education-targeted budget cuts, and local public school scandals, Seattle University has gone against the flow in a massive river of self-preserving introspection and actually expanded their community service programs, yet still for the sake of enhancing the educational experience for their students. Talk about being proactive. Serve their community, show them the problem first-hand, and encourage them to ask how they can change it, all in one bound. Granted, it’s a little easier to do things like this at a private institution, but it is still a step in the right direction that hopefully other schools can follow.

State university presidents paint grim picture on budget cuts

“State university presidents paint grim picture on budget cuts” by Katherine Long
The Seattle Times
Published 2/24/11
Retrieved 2/27/11
Complete URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014325571_higheredcuts25m.html
Intended Audience: higher-education students and teachers

Summary: The presidents of Washington’s three largest state universities were asked to predict specific outcomes of the governor’s proposed worst-case-scenario budget cuts on each of their schools. The presidents’ responses were equally and universally bleak with their firm beliefs that nothing good would come of them as they would ultimately undermine the state’s economy by reducing the opportunity for – and the quality of – higher education.

Key Points: Maximal budget cuts could result in the following:
• Significantly reduced admission of in-state residents. Out-of-state tuition is approximately three times higher than in-state.
• Increased faculty layoffs, including those jobs responsible for the schools’ maintenance and renovation.
• Dissolution of smaller degree programs, as well as reduced enrollment in larger programs.
• A typical four-year degree would be extended to at least five years. Less classes offered per semester would prevent students from taking on a larger credit load.
• Negative impact on the state’s economy. Decreased enrollment in higher education results in fewer higher-paying jobs to inject money back into the economy.

Relevance: Increased enrollment competition and higher tuition rates, as well as a potential decrease in the quality of education, may be enough reason to deter many in-state college hopefuls to look elsewhere to fulfill their career goals. I found some of the comments posted in regard to this article to be especially intriguing:
• “I have a budget cut for them … Stop paying university executives and coaches million dollar annual salaries!”
• “They could save a lot of money if they required tenured and highly paid professors to teach more than one or two classes a week.”
• “Basically just another kick in the gut for the middle class. A first class education is to be a privilege of the wealthy.”

Advanced Placement scores increase in Oregon

Kimberly Melton

More Oregon students get high marks on Advanced Placement tests

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/02/more_oregon_students_get_high.html

Date Retrieved: 2/14/2011

Topic: Advanced Placement classes

2010 held a record high for Oregon student enrollment in Advanced Placement courses. The College Board’s AP Report to the Nation outlines a 6% increase in AP student performance from the previous 2009 year. The article focuses on the increase of performance and enrollment of students in low-income, ethnic and underrepresented communities. Intended Audience: Everyone.

Key Points:

-There has been a gradual increase in Oregon students participating in the AP program since 2001

-US History is outlined as the most popular AP exam, with English as second.

-Oregon has the highest passing rates in exams for Chinese Language & Culture, Studio Art, Calculus BC and Japanese Language and Culture.

Relevance: As future educators, I think it is important to encourage students to participate in AP courses, not to flaunt passing test scores, but to offer students richer and deeper education and subject content—assuming the classes are designed for these reasons. An important thing to keep in mind is that students who pass these exams with scores of 3 or higher are often given college credit, helping their chances in being accepted to colleges and universities, and preparing them for college level work. I am curious to see what kinds of programs schools are using to encourage students of low-income and underrepresented communities to take AP classes. I am also curious to see if these schools are following through completely—helping underrepresented students get accepted to colleges-- not just stopping the encouragement once the test scores come back.

Tuition Equity Bill

Kimberly Melton

Oregon Students, legislators announce bill to allow undocumented youth to pay in-state tuition at Oregon colleges

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/02/oregon_students_legislators_an.html

Date Retrieved: 2/14/2011

Topic: Tuition Equity Bill

Currently, if you are an undocumented student, you will pay out of state tuition if you wish to attend a college or university. This article discusses the “tuition equity” bill which, if it passes, would allow undocumented students who have attended an Oregon high school for three concurrent years to pay in-state tuition. Intended Audience: Teachers preparing student’s for higher education, undocumented students and their parents.

Key Points:

-In order to qualify for in-state tuition, the student must have attended an Oregon high school for three concurrent years, graduate from an Oregon high school, be admitted into an Oregon University System institution, and be actively working towards U.S. Citizenship.

-The bill will help increase Oregon income above the national average

-The bill stresses the difference between tuition equity and the immigration debate

Relevance: Even though our program is preparing us for teaching K-12 students, this is still relevant to us because we will have undocumented students in our classrooms. Most likely you will encounter a student who you will want to encourage them to pursue a higher education, but they will come across that financial obstacle. If this bill passes, it will help lower the tuition cost, even if by a little, but some help is better than none.