When the Student Loan Marketing Association was founded in 1972, it was a government-sponsored enterprise — like Fannie and Freddie.
Educational Financing
Some Say Pay Off ‘Bad Debt’ First. But Why?
There’s a lot of personal finance advice in the blogosphere that I wish didn’t exist. And one of the most annoying pieces of advice is the constant yammering about “good debt” and “bad debt” and how that bad debt must be paid off first.
Are For-Profit Colleges Targeting Low-Income Students?
A new report that shows low-income students enroll in for-profit schools at four times the rate of other students once again raises questions over whether for-profit colleges target the most vulnerable students in order to line …
Be Skeptical of Colleges Providing Student Loan Assistance
USA Today reports on a popular new trend among pricey private colleges looking to compete with more affordable public colleges: promises to help students repay their loans.
I Borrow, Therefore I Am!
A recent study led by Ohio State University Professor Rachel Dwyer yields a shocking, appalling, and mostly just terrifying conclusion: Many young people feel empowered by their student loan debt — and even by their credit card debt.
Demand for Student Loans and Car Loans Increases
According to the Federal Reserve, non-real estate consumer debt increased by $7.2 billion during the month of April, as consumers borrowed with abandon to buy cars and pay for college. Farewell, new-found thriftiness.
College Sells Rare Books, Furniture to Fund Operations
Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn., has just 400 undergraduates and has been plagued by financial and regulatory issues for years. In April, the college announced that it would close June 30th.
Private K-12 Programs Decline in Popularity. Smart Move?
The United States Department of Education‘s The Condition of Education 2011 report confirms a trend that anecdotal evidence has suggested for some time: private schools for children from pre-K through high school are declining in …
How the Recession Changed Young People’s Attitudes About Money
Everyone knows someone who grew up during the Great Depression, and as a result, eats green beans out of the can and sews up holes in socks.
College Offers Degree in Multi-level Marketing (a.k.a. Pyramid Selling!)
Mocking students who choose impractical majors is a popular pastime in the blogosphere; HolyTaco.com has a list of the Top 10 Most Worthless College Majors, with fields like Music Therapy, English Literature, and Latin landing on …
Oh, the Humanities! College Grads with ‘Fluffy’ Majors Make Way Less Money
A new study indicates that—shocker!—college students majoring in subjects such as social work, visual and performing arts, and theology can expect to make far less money than workers who majored in engineering, computer …
Survey: College Is Unaffordable, and a Poor Value. But It’s Still a Good Investment?
Is this a mixed message? Of course. It’s also a formula for college to keep getting more and more expensive.