Tag: college costs

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2026, College Access, College Affordability, Politics, Research/Policy, Workforce

The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist Last July, Congress passed a budget reconciliation bill that included Workforce Pell, which will provide—for the first time—Pell Grant funding to students who enroll in short-term, workforce-oriented training programs and certifications. These grants will be available to students starting July 1, 2026. Programs must be between 150 and 599 clock hours and last between 8 … Continue reading The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

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2022, College Affordability, Financial Aid, Politics, Research/Policy

Loan Cancellation or Pension Bailout? A Conundrum for the Pundits

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist In August 2022, the Biden Administration dropped a student loan cancellation program on the country. At a cost of over $400 million, the program was to cancel $10,000 of student loan debt from anyone with an income of under $125,000/year ($250k if married filing jointly). Another $10,000 for those who received a Pell Grant, which is … Continue reading Loan Cancellation or Pension Bailout? A Conundrum for the Pundits

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2022, College Affordability, Financial Aid, Politics, Research/Policy

Background Data on Student Debt in America

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist Since I wrote my piece on the Biden Administration’s Student Loan Debt Reduction Plan last week, there has been a lot of information and fallout by colleagues and friends on the issue. Most people I know are on the positive side of the policy, saying that this is helpful for a lot of people who are … Continue reading Background Data on Student Debt in America

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2018, College Affordability, ROI/College Outcomes

The Only Thing We Have to Fear…

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute Please listen to our podcast version of The Swail Letter. It’s fun.   Fear seems to be ruling the world right now, especially within the United States. The population has bought into fear-mongering, 85 years after Franklin Delano Roosevelt uttered this phrase: “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the … Continue reading The Only Thing We Have to Fear…

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2018, College Affordability, Retention, Student Success

Improving College Access and Success

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute There is much talk about increasing college access and success for students in the United States, especially for those populations who are historically underrepresented in higher education, such as low-income, first generation, and minority students. While access rates have increased over the years, we clearly understand that equity has not been achieved and that … Continue reading Improving College Access and Success

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