A study conducted by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College found that "College 101" courses that aim to improve students' skills and improve graduation and retention rates need to adopt more specific strategies to be successful, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The report, "College 101 Courses for Applied Learning and Student Success," evaluated courses at three community colleges in Virginia, relying partially on interviews with approximately 170 administrators, instructors and students. Students surveyed said that the courses, which incorporate skills such as time management, goal setting, balancing a checkbook and retirement planning, are too broad to effectively teach the intended skills, The Chronicle reported. Despite the popularity of such courses, which are offered by about 87 percent of colleges, staffing choices and duration render them ineffective, according to the study.
A partnership between nonprofit organization MyCollege Foundation and Mount St. Mary's College, a Catholic college that serves primarily low-income and Latino students, has resulted in a project known as Portmont College at Mount St. Mary's, an online initiative that will grant associate degrees to students regardless of background or finances, Inside Higher Ed reported. Portmont made possible by $3 million in grants to MyCollege Foundation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support "breakthrough" learning models will start its first Launch Pad courses on Dec. 10. Portmont's degree programs in business administration, computer science, liberal arts and pre-science health are built around "core capabilities" such as problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork and character, according to Inside Higher Ed.
The U.S. Department of Education's income-based program that enables individuals to contribute 15 percent of monthly income to loan repayment is generally under-used and not very well understood, Inside Higher Ed reported. While the New York Federal Reserve reported in March that 5 million Americans are behind on student loan payments, only 1.1 million borrowers are enrolled in income-based repayment plans. As a result of lack of publicity and confusing application process, many eligible college graduates failed to utilize the program. While some form of the program has existed for nearly two decades, President Barack Obama has made adjustments such as a proposal to decrease the proportion of monthly income from 15 to 10 percent and to forgive loans after 20 rather than 25 years to help graduates, particularly those seeking careers in low-paying sectors that require degrees in teaching and social work, Inside Higher Ed reported.
