21st Century Scholar

  State Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 California 5.43% 6.46% 6.20% 6.81% 8.20% 8.67% Texas 3.89% 2.16% 1.94% 1.90% 2.08% 2.41% New York 3.97% 1.63% 1.74% 1.73% 1.78% 1.92% Florida 9.52% 4.60% 5.14% 5.16% 6.05% 7.58% Arizona 41.18% 60.32% 67.01% 63.70% 73.06% 74.25% These are some interesting numbers. [...]

State Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 California 26.32% 19.84% 18.85% 20.72% 24.79% 24.99% Texas 15.28% 9.85% 9.29% 9.48% 10.92% 12.98% New York 7.83% 2.81% 3.02% 3.05% 3.15% 3.33% Florida 27.28% 12.75% 14.31% 14.09% 16.31% 19.85% Arizona 89.45% 97.56% 98.06% 98.10% 98.74% 98.89% So, it looks like private for-profit [...]

Mr. Mathis, has any school ever told you ‘no’? The above question was posed by a high school junior enrolled in my Collegiate Academic Scholars course in an Early College High School. In a recent conversation regarding my educational career, the student asked if I was ever denied to any of the colleges I applied [...]

I was famously quoted in a PBS documentary on for-profit education that I thought, for the vast majority of students who do not attend a highly-selective research university, that education was a business. Two years later, I have to admit, I still think so. What led me to revisit this issue was not the recent [...]

Last week, I recounted the amazing story of Diane, an undocumented first-generation college-goer. If Diane’s story illustrates the promise of higher education, my discussion today highlights the peril of blocked access and leveled aspirations. I have been privileged to chronicle a critical moment in the lives of teenagers: the senior year in high school. The [...]

Did you know that April was “Financial Capability Month?” Me neither! President Obama made this declaration on April 2, but somehow I missed it among the many news outlets I visit everyday. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau was mentioned as one of our main governmental sources to learn about financial literacy and capability. When you [...]

In an age of rampant capitalism we have the capacity to direct every dollar in a particular direction that the capitalist state desires. In my last blog I wrote about the ability of the state to change its financial aid system so that public universities can get more state aid while the private institutions get [...]

I imagine it takes an extreme amount of courage to migrate from one country to another, to leave your wife and three daughters for the uncertain promise of a better job and more opportunity. That is what Diane’s father did. He immigrated to Los Angeles, obtained a manufacturing job, learned English, and saved money. He [...]

Let’s assume we’re friends and you’re hungry and out of money. You come to me and say, “I need some money for lunch.” I look in my wallet, pull out a 10, and say, “Keep the change.”  You come back in an hour and sheepishly say, “I need another five bucks.” I shake my head [...]

I’ve been thinking a lot about the FixUC plan. The February 2 article in Inside Higher Ed titled No Money Down! about the plan inspired me to look into it even more. I get the basics: You go to a UC and then graduate. You pay nothing while in school. You only have to pay 5% [...]