Daily Lumina News 011720

First-generation students often face a number of obstacles on their journey to and through higher education. Many have limited knowledge of what it takes to pay for college or how to succeed academically once there; others may become overwhelmed from the dual responsibilities of balancing school and helping their families financially.
In this interview, author Laura Nichols discusses her new book on the different paths first-generation students take to college and the factors that make a difference.

Last year, Washington drew national attention for its move to make college more affordable. For some, tuition became free. But if last year was about bringing down the cost of college, the focus is now on making sure people can take advantage of it.
To start, lawmakers hope to simplify the college-application process and make it easier to access financial aid.

Adam Bush, provost of College Unbound, and Dennis Littky, president, have an ambitious goal: to remake higher education for the millions of Americans with some college credit but no degree.
College Unbound’s journey through the triad of state, federal, and peer review has taken half a decade—and underscores the challenges that innovative institutions face in a system set up for traditional colleges. It also offers evidence that the gatekeepers of American higher education are becoming more open to experimentation.

In early December, one small liberal arts school in Kentucky bet big on a new scholarship. Georgetown College, a nearly 200-year-old Christian institution, promised four years of free undergraduate tuition to students from several nearby counties if they enrolled full time and lived on campus.
Georgetown is just one of many small liberal arts colleges rolling out new scholarship programs or heavily discounting their tuition. Such strategies are designed to increase enrollment, but some say they could cause more harm than good if they don't bring in enough additional students to make up for lost tuition revenue.