By Peter Coy. Colleges’ spring terms are winding down, which means thousands of newly minted graduates of four-year colleges will soon be entering the workforce, encumbered by more than $29,000 in student loan debt, per average debtor. At the same time, there’s wide debate about how well college prepares students to compete for the kinds of jobs that would help them pay off their debts.
This disconnect at the top of the academic pyramid is being exploited by community colleges and online educational institutions, often to students’ advantage. What they lack in ivy and clock towers, these places make up for by understanding how to cater to busy working adults and their employers. More...

By Melissa Jarman. Long before acceptance letters arrive, students are faced with the first of many decisions: go away for school, or stay local and live at home. In fact, our 2013 Student Poll showed that nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of postsecondary students planned to live away from home in the coming year. Students living away from home expected to take on more debt – $31,000 v. the $22,000 reported by students who intended to live at home. With rising student debt the subject of so much conversation and debate in Canada, it is interesting to see that so many students (and their parents) still plan to take on this additional expense when a viable, comparable education alternative to live and study at home may exist. More...

By Beckie Supiano. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth A. Warren introduced legislation on Tuesday that would allow student-loan borrowers to refinance their debt at current interest rates. An identical bill is expected to be introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening.
"There’s no reason on earth to say some kids can get a better deal than others when they both worked hard to do exactly what we said they should do," Ms. Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said in an interview. Student-loan interest rates for new borrowers were reduced last summer under legislation tying them to financial markets. More...