Latest news with #NationalCollegeDecisionDay
CNBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Harvard students are 'frantic' after Trump administration blocks international enrollment, college consultant says
Immediately after the Trump administration blocked Harvard University on Thursday from enrolling future international students and retaining currently enrolled foreign students, some members of next year's freshman class started scrambling. "I was on the phone with a parent who was visibly shaken and completely frantic," said Christopher Rim, president and CEO of college consulting firm Command Education. Rim, who works with a large share of international students from abroad, said a few of his clients were accepted into the Class of 2029 and committed to Harvard on May 1, also known as National College Decision Day, which was just three weeks ago. Now, they don't know what to do. "This is a major moment in these students' lives," Rim said. "Given the circumstances and policies and laws that we have right now, we are advising these families to look into taking a gap year — hopefully by then, the Trump administration and Harvard can come to an agreement." On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security terminated Harvard's student and exchange visitor program certification, therefore blocking foreign students from enrolling and forcing existing foreign students to transfer or lose their legal status. Harvard sued the Trump administration on Friday, asking a federal judge to reverse the ban on international students. International students accounted for 27% of Harvard's total enrollment in the 2024-25 academic year. That's up from 20% during 2006-07. More from Personal Finance:Wage garnishment for defaulted student loans to beginWhat loan forgiveness opportunities remain under TrumpIs college still worth it? It is for most, but not all The latest move came amid an escalating standoff between the government and the Ivy League school after Harvard refused to meet a set of demands issued by the Trump administration's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism "It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Thursday. In a statement on Friday, Harvard called Thursday's action "unlawful and unwarranted." "It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams," Harvard said. "It's a shock," said Hafeez Lakhani, founder and president of Lakhani Coaching in New York. "At a time when international applications — and international yield — are under pressure, this sends a signal to the rest of the world that not only is Harvard closed to the international best and brightest, but that the U.S. is not a welcome place for international students," Lakhani said. International enrollment is an important source of revenue for schools, which is why colleges tend to rely on a contingent of foreign students, who typically pay full tuition. Altogether, international student enrollment contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023-24, according to a report by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. During that academic year, there were more than 1.1 million international undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S., mostly from India and China, making up slightly less than 6% of the total U.S. higher education population, according to the latest Open Doors data, released by the U.S. Department of State and the Institute of International Education. In the 2023-24 academic year, the U.S. hosted a record number of students from abroad, marking a 7% increase from the previous year. The Trump administration's move puts Harvard international students in a "limbo state," said Mark Kantrowitz, a higher education expert. His advice to admitted or enrolled international students: Start exploring your options but don't make any sudden moves until you hear from the university. "Harvard is going to be scrambling to deal with this, and they will issue guidance to admitted students and the enrolled students," Kantrowitz said. In its statement, Harvard called international students and scholars "vital members of our community." "We will support you as we do our utmost to ensure that Harvard remains open to the world," it said. Kantrowitz doesn't expect the Trump administration to prevail in Harvard's lawsuit, though of course it's a possibility, he said. Transferring to another U.S. school may have its own risks. "I've heard from [Harvard] students who are seeking to transfer," Kantrowitz said. "But that might be jumping from the frying pan into fire. These other colleges could be targeted soon enough." It may also be difficult for Harvard's incoming freshman class to transfer to another university, Kantrowitz said. Many institutions may already be at full enrollment for the coming academic year, he said. There are currently more than 300 U.S. schools still accepting applications for prospective first-year and transfer students for the upcoming fall term, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Harvard students who require financial aid may have a tougher time transferring, depending on the university, compared to those who don't need assistance, Kantrowitz said. That's because many schools use "need sensitive" or "need aware" admissions for international students, Kantrowitz said. That means they consider the student's financial need when choosing whether to accept the student. Already, some of Lakhani's college-bound clients have started considering schools outside the U.S., fueled by fear about rapid policy changes, he said. Indeed, some schools overseas are trying to woo Harvard's international students in light of the Trump administration's recent maneuver. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, for example, issued an "open invitation" to Harvard students on Friday to continue their education there, to "pursue their educational goals without disruption." "This sends a clear signal for the best and brightest to look elsewhere — including other countries — to thrive intellectually," Lakhani said.
CNBC
03-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
On Decision Day, more high school seniors choose a college based on cost
Ethan Bianco, 17, waited right up until the May 1 deadline before deciding which college he would attend in the fall. The senior at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston was accepted to several schools, and had whittled down his choices to Vanderbilt University and University of Texas at Austin. Ultimately, the cost was a significant factor in his final decision. "UT is a much better award package," he said. In-state tuition for the current academic year is $10,858 to $13,576 a year, which would be largely covered by Bianco's financial aid offer. More from Personal Finance:Is college still worth it? It is for most, but not allHow to maximize your college financial aid offerWhat student loan forgiveness opportunities remain under Trump Vanderbilt, on the other hand, consistently ranks among the best private colleges for financial aid and promises to meet 100% of a family's demonstrated need. The school initially offered Bianco $35,000 in aid, he said. With that package, "it would be about $40,000 more for my family to attend Vanderbilt per year." However, he successfully appealed his award package and leveraged private scholarships to bring the price down further — and committed to Vanderbilt on National College Decision Day. For most graduating high school seniors, the math works out differently. The rising cost of college has resulted in a higher percentage of students enrolling in public schools over private ones, according to Robert Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. "Currently, it is about 73% of the undergraduate population — but this year, with increasing uncertainties about financial aid and changing policies about student loans, it is very likely that number will go up," Franek said. Soaring college costs and looming student debt balances have pushed this trend, and this year, there are added concerns about the economy and dwindling federal loan forgiveness options. As a result, this year's crop of high school seniors is more likely to choose local and less-expensive public schools rather than private universities far from home, Franek said. Price is now a bigger consideration among students and parents when choosing a college, other reports also show. Financial concerns govern decision-making for 8 in 10 families, according to one report by education lender Sallie Mae, outweighing even academics when choosing a school "Choosing a school is a personal and individual decision," said Chris Ebeling, head of student lending at Citizens Financial Group. Along with academics and extracurriculars, "equally important is the cost," he said. "That needs to be weighed and considered carefully." On National College Decision Day, Carlos Marin, a senior at Milby High School, also in Houston, enrolled at the University of Houston-Downtown. Marin, 17, who could be the first person in his family to graduate from college, said he plans to live at home and commute to classes. "The other schools I got into were farther away but the cost of room and board was really expensive," Marin said. College costs have risen significantly in recent decades, with tuition increasing 5.6% a year, on average, since 1983 — outpacing inflation and other household expenses, according to a recent report by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Deep cuts in state funding for higher education have also contributed to the soaring price tag and pushed more of the costs onto students. Families now shoulder 48% of college expenses, up from 38% a decade ago, J.P. Morgan Asset Management found, with scholarships, grants and loans helping to bridge the gap. Nearly every year, students and their families have been borrowing more, which boosted total outstanding student debt to where it stands today, at more than $1.6 trillion. A separate survey by The Princeton Review found that taking on too much debt is the No. 1 worry among all college-bound students. Incoming Vanderbilt freshman Bianco qualified for a number of additional private scholarships and even received a free laptop from AT&T so that he could submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and fill out college applications. He said he is wary of taking out loans to make up for the difference. "I believe that student loans can be beneficial but there's also the assumption that you'll be in debt for a very long time," Bianco said. "It almost becomes a burden that is too much to bear."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Troubled FAFSA rollout complicates college acceptance for some seniors
Los Angeles — Oscar Garcia of South Los Angeles is just weeks away from taking his last steps as a high school senior, and his first steps toward a college degree. Garcia said attending college "means having an opportunity to get out of here." It's an opportunity made possible through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. "FAFSA, man, they have a lot of issues," Garcia told CBS News. "It always gave me, like, some errors, or something. Yes, it was just pretty tedious." After a botched rollout of last year's FAFSA application under the Biden administration, it was delayed again this year, with students encountering error messages and glitches on the site. Making things more challenging were the unprecedented cuts to the Department of Education last month, impacting nearly half of the office of Federal Student Aid, which is responsible for managing FAFSA. Garcia, who will be attending Los Angeles Trade Tech Community College in the fall, said he tried to call the Federal Student Aid Information Center for help "more times than what I can count. At some point I just wanted to stop." Lina McCormick-Morin, deputy director of the Southern California College Attainment Network — an education equity group that seeks to help underrepresented students achieve a college education, helps low-income students navigate the FAFSA system. "The process is really grueling," McCormick-Morin said. "It is genuinely like filing taxes and being audited at the same time." Thursday is National College Decision Day, which is the deadline for when most college-bound students have to declare which school they will attend in the fall. McCormick-Morin has seen college dreams put on hold, as only 58% of eligible California high school seniors successfully submitted FAFSA applications for the upcoming school year, according to the California Student Aid Commission. "It is difficult to see what is efficient about cutting the working capacity of any department that was already understaffed," McCormick-Morin said. University of Southern California junior Stephani Jaramillo and California State University, Northridge junior Jose Pablo-Corona told CBS News they don't have safety nets — they only have FAFSA. "I worry that without that help, I won't be able to continue my education," Pablo-Corona said. "So I'm pretty worried." Jaramillo said that "for me, financial aid is hope, it's a stepping stone to reaching a potential future that I've been looking forward to my whole life." Now, both are concerned whether they will see their financial aid in time to complete college. "Everyone chases some sort of American dream," Jaramillo said. "No matter what it looks like, some sort of, like, happiness and stability. For me, that's my education." Kristi Noem says if Kilmar Abrego Garcia returned to U.S. we'd "immediately deport him again" Mike Waltz leaving post as Trump's national security adviser | Special Report Extended interview: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on deportations involving children and more
CBS News
02-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Troubled FAFSA rollout complicates college acceptance for some seniors
Los Angeles — Oscar Garcia of South Los Angeles is just weeks away from taking his last steps as a high school senior, and his first steps toward a college degree. Garcia said attending college "means having an opportunity to get out of here." It's an opportunity made possible through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. "FAFSA, man, they have a lot of issues," Garcia told CBS News. "It always gave me, like, some errors, or something. Yes, it was just pretty tedious." After a botched rollout of last year's FAFSA application under the Biden administration, it was delayed again this year, with students encountering error messages and glitches on the site. Making things more challenging were the unprecedented cuts to the Department of Education last month, impacting nearly half of the office of Federal Student Aid, which is responsible for managing FAFSA. Garcia, who will be attending Los Angeles Trade Tech Community College in the fall, said he tried to call the Federal Student Aid Information Center for help "more times than what I can count. At some point I just wanted to stop." Lina McCormick-Morin, deputy director of the Southern California College Attainment Network — an education equity group that seeks to help underrepresented students achieve a college education, helps low-income students navigate the FAFSA system. "The process is really grueling," McCormick-Morin said. "It is genuinely like filing taxes and being audited at the same time." Thursday is National College Decision Day, which is the deadline for when most college-bound students have to declare which school they will attend in the fall. McCormick-Morin has seen college dreams put on hold, as only 58% of eligible California high school seniors successfully submitted FAFSA applications for the upcoming school year, according to the California Student Aid Commission. "It is difficult to see what is efficient about cutting the working capacity of any department that was already understaffed," McCormick-Morin said. University of Southern California junior Stephani Jaramillo and California State University, Northridge junior Jose Pablo-Corona told CBS News they don't have safety nets — they only have FAFSA. "I worry that without that help, I won't be able to continue my education," Pablo-Corona said. "So I'm pretty worried." Jaramillo said that "for me, financial aid is hope, it's a stepping stone to reaching a potential future that I've been looking forward to my whole life." Now, both are concerned whether they will see their financial aid in time to complete college. "Everyone chases some sort of American dream," Jaramillo said. "No matter what it looks like, some sort of, like, happiness and stability. For me, that's my education."
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
College Decision Day: New Rochelle students celebrate unique plans for the future
On a sunny Thursday morning, a gaggle of seniors flooded onto the New Rochelle High School football field to celebrate National College Decision Day, when students all over the Lower Hudson Valley, and the country, celebrate the college or university they've chosen. Some students took photos wearing shirts from their soon-to-be schools, representing places like Mercy University, Iona University, Binghamton University, University of Pennsylvania and many more. But for some other soon-to-be graduates, College Decision Day was about celebrating a unique path they'll be taking come fall 2025. Dylan Kelly, for instance, is heading to aeronautical school after he graduates. He started flying planes at the age of 15, having been interested in becoming a pilot since he was a kid. 'I always thought that flying planes was a really remarkable career,' Kelly said. 'During COVID, I wanted to fulfill my dreams of becoming a pilot, and I went to an aviation exposition event at Westchester County Airport, and the rest is pretty much history.' Kelly earned his private pilot license earlier this year. He's heading to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida in the fall, where he'll major in aeronautical sciences and work toward his airline transport license, which would allow him to pilot commercial and corporate flights. 'What I'm doing is very special to me, and not a lot of people get the chance to do that,' Kelly said. 'Nobody should take (that) for granted.' Another senior, Lauren Bryan, is heading to Cornell in the fall to pursue scientific research, but her journey has already started. She began doing research through the high school's science research program and the past two summers, she worked with a mentor at New York State Psychiatric Institute. This helped her become one of 200 Rawlings Cornell Presidential Research Scholars, a special research program that comes with an $8,000 stipend to support her work at Cornell. 'I felt like Cornell was the best choice for me because of their human development program,' Bryan said. 'It encompasses a lot of different aspects. So like, social aspects, biological. There are some classes you can take in neuroscience. Also law and history.' Emery Valentin has unique post-graduation plans, too. Accepted into the Fashion Institute of Technology's Footwear and Accessories Design bachelor of fine arts program in Manhattan, Valentin will continue to hone the sneaker-designing skills he first began learning five years ago. After his dad attended a sneaker-making class in Los Angeles, the two began designing sneakers together — an artistic endeavor that can encompass anything from customizing an existing shoe to building one themselves. 'I really want to take advantage of FIT,' Valentin said. 'I really want to learn the process of making my own sneaker, my own silhouette.' 'There's great value in having something that's yours — your own design, something that's unique to you,' he added. Another student, Savanna Lily DiFatta, is also pursuing artistic plans after high school. DiFatta, the daughter of local balloon artist Jenn DiFatta, started her own business in January selling floral arrangements. 'I know for sure at this point in my life what I'm meant to do, and it's not sit in a classroom,' DiFatta said. After graduation, she wants to learn more about flowers and how to help her floral business, Savanna's Lillies, grow. So she's planning to take business classes at Westchester Community College starting in the fall, in conjunction with classes at the Bronx Botanical Garden. From there, she'll pursue her business license. 'Since I was little, I always knew I wanted to be my own boss," DiFatta said. I knew that entrepreneurship was a thing for me, and I knew that I was always going to be creative and wanted to work with my hands. This is exactly what I want to do.' This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle HS NY seniors share unique plans on College Decision Day
