Daily Lumina News 082423

Guam Community College is a small but mighty institution steeped in history and culture. Partnerships with the private sector are key to GCC—and to providing high-quality career and technical workforce development programs for Micronesia.
Learn more about the innovative work happening at Guam Community College in this special video series on the many ways community colleges keep the flame alive for students and their communities.

For all its leaks and clogs, the transfer pipeline from community colleges is becoming an increasingly important conduit for four-year colleges seeking to not only fill their seats but also maintain momentum toward diversifying their enrollments.
But transfer plans are too often dashed by confusing requirements, red tape, and unexpected setbacks. Several experts weigh in on transforming the transfer process.

As we look for ways to remove the many obstacles facing today's students, we need to work wisely—focusing our efforts where they’ll do the most good, writes Lumina Foundation's Jamie Merisotis in this op-ed.
That means shifting our thinking away from elite, selective colleges and universities—which serve only 10 percent of the nation’s college students. The goal must be to build a higher education structure that provides access and opportunities for all Americans.

A new repayment program is now open to more than 20 million student loan borrowers, with payments based on their income and family size.
The Biden administration announced the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) program earlier this summer, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Biden's proposed loan cancellation program.

While some college-bound students are concerned about what clothes they plan to wear on the first day of class or what items to bring to decorate their dorm rooms, Khyya Ford, Liana Castro-Torres, and Alexianie Negron are discussing more pressing issues.
The three first-generation college students are more concerned with things like code-switching, being accepted, and wondering if graduating at the top of their William Bodine High School Class for International Studies is enough.

A couple of years ago, the Common Application began wading into a relatively novel higher ed concept known as direct admissions. Under the model, institutions automatically admit students without them needing to apply. Various colleges and higher ed systems, sometimes with the help of tech companies, are trying it out.
A new report now offers insight on the direct admissions experiment. Among the findings: Direct admissions outreach is not a silver bullet for college access challenges. A surprise seat at an institution is not a substitute for financial aid.