Goldman Sachs and Community Colleges: Teaming Up for Small Business Assistance

Transitioning from a high school environment to a college campus is never easy, but for some students, the change is quite nearly impossible. The difficulties faced can be due to a number of factors. According to a report by Gulf Coast Community College, the reasons that students leave college include having academic difficulties, too many family or job-related responsibilities, not enough money to pay for college related-expenses and a lack of personal motivation to continue with their studies. Additionally, students whose parents did not attend college, and students who have a learning or emotional disability also face challenges as they attempt to get a college education.

However, these at-risk students can successfully obtain a degree. Community colleges across the country have special programs that seek to help at-risk students stay in school. As mentioned in the Gulf Coast Community College report, providing academic guidance services, transition programs for high school students, and targeted interventions for specific at-risk populations are among the most effective interventions colleges can use. Northern Virginia Community College, more commonly known as NOVA, has instituted an innovative program to help non-traditional and at-risk students achieve academic success and even go on to earn a four-year degree. NOVA’s program can serve as a model for what other colleges can and should do to help at-risk students.

This video explains what an at-risk student is.

The Importance of Community

Many community college students today understand all too well the frustration of trying to put together a schedule each semester but finding themselves on waiting lists. The overload leaves numerous students requiring more time to complete their degrees – and postpones their opportunities in the professional, post-academic world.

One community college has come up with what they believe is a solution to this collegiate quandary.

What if you could skip to the front of waiting lists, just by paying more? Students at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts will now have the chance to register for an academic "fast track" that will allow them to graduate faster – for an increased tuition rate, according to reports by The Boston Globe and USA Today.

This video reports on the healthcare program at Bristol Community College.

A Proposal by the Princeton Review

The idea comes from the Princeton Review, a company that had previously been primarily involved in assessments and standardized test preparation. Since the acquisition of Penn Foster, a career training provider, a few months ago, the Princeton Review has jumped into the world of continuing education. Like a few other for-profit colleges, Princeton Review is currently in the process of teaming up with community colleges that offer allied healthcare degrees to provide faster access to degrees. These programs will come at a higher price tag than standard programs

The tide has turned in federal financial aid – and students will be the benefactors. The newly minted U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan Program will now administer federal financial aid, cutting out the middlemen banks that once profited from doling out these funds to students.

Amidst all of the changes, “student loans are in transition, and those who use them need to pay particular attention right now as the U.S. Department of Education's Direct Loan Program takes responsibility for lending,” The Daily Press sagely advises.

Make sure that you are taking the right steps to apply for and manage your community college financial aid, using this article as your guide.

Financial Aid & the Federal Government: Overview of New Legislation

According to the New York Times, President Obama recently passed legislation that allows the Department of Education to directly provide students with financial aid loans. This new law eliminates any fees paid to private banks, as banks will no longer serve as intermediary parties between students and their access to college loans. Without banks acting as middlemen, an estimated $6 to $7 billion dollars of federal money will be saved annually, benefiting the government, taxpayers, and students, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

As outlined by the legislation, as of July 2014, students set to borrow money for college will be permitted to, “cap repayments at 10 percent of income above a basic living allowance, instead of 15 percent.”

Adding to this

Dormitories were once typically reserved for students attending university campuses, but more community colleges have begun opening dorms for their students. The inclusion of dorms on some community college campuses is garnering much attention, as well as surprising tension. While many assert that dorms for community college campuses provide greater conveniences for their students, others argue that the dorms should only be reserved for university campuses.

The Demand for Dormitory Living

According to the Los Angeles Times, the rising cost of tuition at many universities is pushing a larger number of students towards the more affordable degree pathways provided by community colleges. Given these increasing enrollment numbers, many community colleges are looking for ways to accommodate the growing ranks of students, and dormitories are becoming a popular solution.

Speaking on this latest development is Karen Kent from the American Association of Community Colleges in Washington D.C., “We do think it's a trend for more community colleges to provide residential housing for students.” Indeed, this trend is undeniable, as schools in Texas, Minnesota, Florida, and Washington are already completing the construction of dorms on select community college campuses.

Experts predict that California’s community colleges may be among the most popular campus locations for new dormitory construction, given the immense numbers of students enrolled on these campuses. In fact, 11 of the state’s community colleges already provide dormitories for their students. Currently, an estimated 2.8 million students are enrolled in the 110 community colleges of California, and the