A suggestion to remove the college financial aid form called Fafsa led to a discussion that touched on empathy, coddling and fraud. Source: Readers’ Turn: Eliminate Fafsa? – The New York Times Here is what I wrote – which means I think a lot of it should be eliminated, especially if it is misused. “I […]
Good News: Editor of NY Times “Upshot” Encourages More Discussion on Kevin Carey’s “The Fundamental Way That Universities Are an Illusion”
July 24, 2015 by
Our contributor Kevin Carey has written an important and eye-opening piece on this subject, and I encourage you to read it. Source: How Colleges Are Weak – The New York Times But as I state in my comment, Mr. Carey can use help with views from the inside. I wrote, Kevin Carey’s insights into, and […]
The Fundamental Way That Universities Are an Illusion – The New York Times. Here is Another, Per Gross and Bok (and me)
July 23, 2015 by
Source: The Fundamental Way That Universities Are an Illusion – The New York Times “…Because universities aren’t as they appear, systems designed to improve them tend to fail…” That is a critical observation. Here is Bill Gross’ view of what colleges really are, and why it is so hard to change them. “…Universities are run […]
So Are the Ramifications of Not Getting What You Paid For
June 13, 2015 by
The ramifications of defaulting and remaining in debt deliberately are usually real and lasting. Source: Taking On Student Debt, and Refusing to Pay – NYTimes.com I commented. You write that “…the ramifications of defaulting and remaining in debt deliberately are usually real and lasting…” True, but there is something much worse: the ramifications of colleges […]
“Student Loans and Defaults: The Facts – NYTimes.com” My View: Anyway you Slice it, or Dice it, It’s Too Commonly a Shakedown
June 12, 2015 by
“…Graduate students borrow a lot more than undergraduates…” Source: Student Loans and Defaults: The Facts – NYTimes.com I commented. A more descriptive statement than “…borrowing is highest among the minority of college students who go on for graduate study..” is:Borrowing is highest among two groups of students: those who realize that they were scammed and […]
“We’re Frighteningly in the Dark About Student Debt” – But Even More in the Dark About What We Are Buying
March 22, 2015 by
We’re Frighteningly in the Dark About Student Debt – NYTimes.com. I commented as follow: (Please note the “fixes” to the poor writing I submitted.) We are loaning money to naïve – and by definition – uneducated “consumers” so that they can “buy” an education. Yet the “sellers” in blocking block all attempts for either the […]
Excellent Op-Ed (And From Me, How to Hold Colleges Feet to Fire with Online Access)
March 5, 2015 by
Here’s What Will Truly Change Higher Education: Online Degrees That Are Seen as Official – NYTimes.com. From my perspective, as a former math professor, this excellent article misses only one important point about the conflict between traditional colleges and online courses – a point that my experience teaching from an online MIT course at Washington […]
“Helping the Poor in Education” Yes, But to Really Help Them…
January 17, 2015 by
Certainly this idea, Helping the Poor in Education: The Power of a Simple Nudge – NYTimes.com doesn’t hurt, but we can do much better. I commented. Helping someone get a college “degree” – without a college “education” – only helps at the periphery; especially when they only have a high school “degree”, but no high school […]
Part III of: Washington U. in St. Louis “Says” It’s On Board Now With Aid to All Talented People
January 16, 2015 by
The Least Economically Diverse Top College, Seeking to Change – NYTimes.com. I added this. “…an existing financial aid budget of $100 million…” Be careful about the definition of “financial aid”. Here is a good explanation from the article “Despite Rising Sticker Prices Actual College Costs Stable Over Decade Study Says” (October 25, 2013, New York […]
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