Latest news with #eliteuniversities
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Wants Admissions Data on Grades and Race, but Who Will Collect It?
President Trump's new requirement mandating that colleges share more data about their students could help conservatives who have argued that elite universities discriminate against white and Asian students. But the Trump administration's push to force colleges to be more transparent about the race, test scores and grades of applicants may run into a problem. Since taking office in January, the administration has fired nearly everyone who worked at the National Center for Education Statistics, the statistics branch within the Department of Education that would be responsible for the new data collection effort. Of about 100 employees who worked at the National Center for Education Statistics, just four remain. 'Who is going to analyze that data?' said Angel B. Pérez, chief executive of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. In his second term, President Trump has often taken a paradoxical approach to education, pushing to diminish the federal government's role, even as he tries to wield its power. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Elite colleges conspire to use early admissions to inflate costs, lawsuit says
A controversial college admissions practice is facing legal scrutiny, as current and former students of elite universities accuse their schools of conspiring to inflate prices through the use of early decision. Early decision admissions policies allow students to apply ahead of the regular admissions deadline, giving them a better chance of acceptance. Students pledge to attend if a college offers a seat, but the acceptance decision often comes before students know how much financial aid the school will provide. Binding early-decision plans prevent students from receiving and comparing offers from other schools.
Forbes
6 days ago
- General
- Forbes
The Other 96%: Talent Beyond Elite Ivies
When many people think of higher education in America, they picture the Ivy League, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia. These elite institutions dominate headlines, policy debates, rankings, and even pop culture. But here's the reality: less than 5% of U.S. college students attend Ivy League or similarly elite private universities. The other 96%—the overwhelming majority—are enrolled in other public and private colleges, which receive far less attention. Many elite colleges have deep roots, predating the nation itself. The term 'Ivy League' began not in classrooms but on sports fields—it was the name of an athletic conference, not a mark of educational distinction. Today, these schools are ironically not known for their sports, but for the prestige and achievements of their graduates and faculty. Today, these schools sit atop the rankings not because they're doing the most good, but because they're best at serving the most advantaged. Rankings such as those from U.S. News & World Report place heavy weight on graduation rates and peer assessments—categories that inherently benefit schools that enroll wealthier students and enjoy name-brand recognition. If your institution primarily admits students who are already statistically likely to graduate, and your 'peers' are fellow elite schools, your top spot is all but guaranteed. Yes, many of these institutions offer generous financial aid packages, sometimes eliminating loans entirely for low-income undergraduates. Despite these programs, low- and middle-income students-the vast majority of Americans- remain underrepresented. As sociologist Anthony Jack has documented, even those who do make it in often face social isolation, unspoken cultural expectations, and an environment that can feel deeply alienating. The picture is even murkier at the graduate and professional level—where elite institutions continue to dominate rankings in fields like law, medicine, and business. But here, there's even less transparency. Unlike undergraduate programs, most graduate schools don't report Pell Grant enrollment or outcomes for students from less privileged backgrounds. Graduation rates, loan repayment, and employment outcomes are often hidden behind glossy brochures and institutional prestige. Thankfully, there are signs of change—at least at the undergraduate level. The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation have developed a new classification system to recognize institutions that excel in serving Pell Grant recipients and boosting their post-graduation earnings. These schools are doing the hard, unglamorous work of helping students climb the income ladder. But notably, this system doesn't yet extend to graduate education, where such transparency is still sorely lacking. So what can be done? More Employers and policymakers should look beyond the Ivy halo. Since the Pandemic, more employers are already recruiting beyond the Elite Ivies. When recruiting for your company, look beyond just the college name and ask for meaningful data. What percentage of a program's students come from low-income backgrounds? What support systems exist for them? What are their outcomes—both in terms of earnings (and debt) as well as leadership impacts in society? With over 2,600 four-year colleges across the U.S.—many offering high-quality graduate and professional programs—employers have a vast talent pool beyond the Ivy League. While elite institutions will continue to thrive and produce great talent, they are not the sole source of capable, driven, and innovative graduates. The future of the workforce depends on recognizing and recruiting from the full spectrum of schools where students are gaining skills, solving real-world problems, and adding value. It's time to shift attention—and investment—to the broader landscape of graduate education that's powering opportunity across the country. Help us widen the pipeline. Support Leadership Brainery in creating equitable pathways to graduate education. Donate today! Interested in engaging with us or have an idea for a future topic? Submit this brief form.
Japan Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Who won and lost in Trump's tax bill
Business investors and wealthy Americans are among the biggest winners in U.S. President Donald Trump's tax bill. Those hit the hardest by the sweeping package include elite universities, who face new levies, and immigrants. The House passed the bill in a 218-214 vote just a day ahead of Trump's self-imposed July 4 deadline. Here's who won and who lost in the legislative centerpiece of the president's domestic agenda: Winners Multimillionaires The rich gain the ability to pass more wealth on to their heirs and dodge a tax increase. The bill includes $4.5 trillion worth of tax cuts, according to a Saturday estimate from the Joint Committee on Taxation. The estate tax exemption rises to $15 million for individuals — totaling $30 million for married couples — and then adjusts with inflation. The 2017 Trump income tax rate cuts also become permanent, with benefits skewing toward the wealthy. Residents of high-tax states The limit on the state and local tax deduction rises to $40,000 annually for a five-year period. The write-off phases out for taxpayers who make more than $500,000 per year. After the five-year period, the limit snaps back to the current $10,000 limit imposed in the 2017 tax law. Small business owners The 2017 law that allowed pass-through business to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income from their taxable income is permanently extended beginning in the tax year 2026. The deduction is available to owners of sole proprietorships, LLCs and partnerships. Private equity The carried interest tax break benefiting private equity, venture capital and real estate partnerships is maintained, despite the president's push to eliminate it. Private equity also won an expanded interest expensing tax break. Domestic car dealers Up to $10,000 a year in loan interest for U.S.-made cars becomes tax deductible through 2028, a boon to auto dealers looking to close sales. But the break phases out slowly for individuals with more than $100,000 in income and couples with more than $200,000. Manufacturers The bill revives several favorable tax rules for businesses, including bonus depreciation for the cost of production upgrades and a research and development tax break, winning the endorsement of the National Association of Manufacturers. The final legislation makes permanent those breaks, which were temporary in an earlier version of the bill that passed the House in May. Fossil fuel producers Industries like coal, oil and natural gas win tax breaks and new requirements to open up more federal land for drilling, while breaks for competing clean energy technologies are phased out. Elderly and tipped workers In a nod to some of Trump's populist campaign promises, taxpayers 65 and older get a larger standard deduction, while tips and overtime pay are exempted from income taxes. The provisions include limits to shrink their cost and expire after 2028. Parents The maximum child tax credit increases by an additional $200 from $2,000 starting in tax year 2025 and is permanently indexed to inflation. Parents could open up new "Trump accounts' for their babies seeded with $1,000 from the government for children born from 2025 through 2028. Telecommunications The bill auctions off a massive amount of radio spectrum for use in wireless broadband, a potential boon for services like SpaceX's Starlink and 5G and future 6G mobile networks. Corporations Other tax increases that had been considered that would have hit big business, such as an increase in the stock buyback tax or a limit on the state and local deduction for corporations, were mostly rejected. Defense contractors The package boosts defense spending by $150 billion, with much of the funding going to new weapons systems made by major contractors. Space The bill provides nearly $10 billion to fund projects including efforts to reach the Moon and Mars and eventually decommission the international space station. Losers Low-income Americans Some of the costs for the tax bill are defrayed through cuts to Medicaid health coverage and food stamps, both of which benefit low-income Americans. On average, the legislation will cost the bottom 20% of taxpayers $560 a year, according to a Yale Budget Lab analysis. Senior citizens receive a hot meal at a community center in Charleston, West Virginia, in March. | REUTERS The measure creates new work requirements for Medicaid recipients, unless they are elderly, disabled or have children under 14 years old. Medicaid beneficiaries who gained eligibility through the Affordable Care Act will have to pay a share of costs through charges like co-pays. Food assistance for low-income Americans is cut by expanding existing work requirements for federal food stamps to cover beneficiaries up to 65 years old. Beginning in 2028, states also are required to pay a portion of food benefit costs, which are now fully paid by the federal government. Renewable energy Clean energy industries are hit by the Republican plan, which rolls back many provisions of former President Joe Biden's landmark climate law. A tax credit for solar panels and wind systems is quickly phased out, though the legislation takes more time to eliminate other clean electricity production and investment credits. Tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements and residential installation of solar or other clean energy upgrades are eliminated at the end of the year. Technology companies The Senate squelched a controversial effort in the bill to prevent U.S. states from regulating artificial intelligence, delivering a win for tech industry critics and a blow to the likes of Microsoft Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc., as well as venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz. Trump administration officials and GOP allies in Silicon Valley had pushed the measure saying it would prevent a patchwork of cumbersome state-by-state regulations. Electric vehicle makers Tesla, General Motors and other electric vehicle makers are hit by elimination of a consumer tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of electric vehicles. Elite universities Add tax bills to the escalating battle the Trump administration is waging against elite universities such as Harvard and Columbia. The current 1.4% tax on net investment income of private college and university endowments ratchets up for better-funded institutions. The new tiered tax rate structure climbs as high as 8% for colleges with the most endowment income per student. Immigrants Several provisions raise taxes on immigrants. That includes a new 1% tax on transfers of money to foreign countries, known as remittances. Many immigrants in the U.S. send money to relatives in their countries of origin. The proposal also restricts some immigrants' access to tax credits for health coverage premiums. The change prevents many immigrants granted asylum or temporary protected status from accessing those credits. Gamblers Gamblers would only be able to deduct 90% of their losses against their winnings, leading to a situation where they could still owe income tax if they break even over a year or lose money overall.
Bloomberg
03-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Who Won and Lost in Trump's Tax Bill
Business investors and wealthy Americans are among the biggest winners in President Donald Trump's tax bill. Those hit the hardest by the sweeping package include elite universities, who face new levies, and immigrants. The House is on track to pass the bill Thursday with Republican votes just a day ahead of Trump's self-imposed July 4 deadline.
