William Blair downgrades 3 for-profit education providers, doesn’t see shares rising

Sector Snap: For-Profit education cos. downgraded

No relief for parents: College tuition is up sharply, outstrips overall US inflation rate

With the economy struggling, parents and students dared to hope this year might offer a break from rising college costs. Instead, they got another sharp increase.

College tuition up again; students suffer from state budget cuts, endowment declines

Average tuition prices rose sharply again this fall as colleges passed much of the burden of their own financial problems on to recession-battered students and parents.

3 tips to help get started on a college savings account

A new survey by online brokerage TD Ameritrade says college is the top reasons teens save their money. The results were a pleasant surprise to educators who are focusing on getting personal finance taught in schools. The survey indicated 78 percent of teens say they want to share the cost of college with their parents.

Teens say college is the top reason for saving money

DES MOINES, Iowa — Stroll through the mall on a weekend and you get the impression teens save money to buy clothes or iPods and video game systems, but a new survey shows their priority is quite different — saving for college.

Younger Americans find vast opportunities in recession, while older generations struggle

NEW YORK — The Great Recession has turned into the best of times for young investor Daniel Lee.

House passes college aid bill, boosting Pell Grants, killing subsidized student loans

WASHINGTON — The House has voted in favor of the biggest overhaul of college aid programs since their creation in the 1960s — a bill to oust private lenders from the student loan business and put the government in charge.

House college aid bill would boost Pell Grants, kill subsidized student loans

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday in favor of the biggest overhaul of college aid programs since their creation in the 1960s — a bill to oust private lenders from the student loan business and put the government in charge.

Calling all night owls: Boston community college offers midnight classes to help meet demand

BOSTON — Community college professor Kathleen O’Neill was setting the ground rules for her psychology students when she came to an issue she didn’t normally have to address.

Obama administration recommends changes to boost use of state-run college savings plans

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants states to make changes to college savings plans that it hopes will expand their use by middle class families.

University of Texas pulls out of National Merit Scholarship program to focus on need-based aid

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin is pulling out of the National Merit Scholarship Program to focus on needs-based financial assistance.

UNICEF: Global economic crisis means more African children will die, drop out of school

JOHANNESBURG — The global recession will increase infant and child deaths and cause more students to drop out of school in Africa, the U.N. children’s agency predicted Monday, as the financial crisis delivers a delayed blow to the continent and is expected to linger longer.

SPIN METER: College aid bill may fall short of promises to send millions more to college

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says a bill in Congress would help him send millions more Americans to college. But the measure may fall short of Obama’s goal.

Some tips for protecting yourself when taking out student loans

As credit standards for private loans have tightened, some for-profit, or “proprietary,” colleges are now lending money directly to students.

AP IMPACT: For-profit colleges boost enrollment by lending to students with shaky credit

Some of the nation’s biggest for-profit colleges and vocational schools are boosting enrollment in tough times by making more loans directly to cash-strapped students, knowing full well many of them probably won’t be able to repay what they borrowed.

Cash-strapped states cut grants to college students despite booming demand for financial aid

MADISON, Wis. — Struggling with budget shortfalls that reach into the billions, several states are making deep cuts in college financial aid programs, including those that provide a vital source of cash for students who most need the money.

Obama proposes huge increase in education spending to make college more affordable

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s plan to dramatically increase college student aid took its first step Wednesday on what could be a rocky path through Congress.

How 1 immigrant high schooler soared, despite detainment

TRENTON, N.J. — He was born on the Fourth of July, an irony he would learn to appreciate later, during the dark period of his life, when liberty and freedom came to mean something far more real than words in his high school history book.

Highlights of Supreme Court decisions made during the 2008-09 term

Some of the significant cases the Supreme Court decided in its 2008-09 term:

For modest earners, new program will help ease burden of repaying hefty student loans

NEW YORK — Repaying a student loan could soon be a little less painful.

Sallie Mae shares rise after student lender awarded 5-year government loan-servicing contract

NEW YORK — The Department of Education has selected student lender Sallie Mae and three other companies to service the $550 billion in outstanding federal student loans and future loans owned by the government.

Student lender Sallie Mae CEO Albert Lord says loan losses to remain elevated into 2010

NEW YORK — Sallie Mae CEO Albert Lord said Wednesday he expects loan charge-offs at the student lending company to peak in 2009 and remain high next year.

Small General Motors bondholders rally for better debt swap offer, say current deal is unfair

WARREN, Mich. — Individuals who hold General Motors Corp. bonds said Wednesday they want a better deal than the debt-for-equity swap the company is offering.

Supreme Court hears arguments on when public must pay for private special education

WASHINGTON — A lawyer for an Oregon high school student told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the public education system failed to address the boy’s learning problems and then improperly denied his parents reimbursement after they enrolled him in a private school.

Renewed debate in NJ over granting in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants

NEWARK, N.J. — Piash Ahamed has been living in New Jersey since legally emigrating from Bangladesh with his family as a child. He attended state public schools, graduated from high school at the top of his class and was accepted at Rutgers University.

Study: More undergrads take out pricey private student loans to pay for college

BERKELEY, Calif. — A study finds the number of college students taking out private student loans has risen sharply in recent years.

Group of colleges urges Congress to offer tuition aid, citizenship to many illegal immigrants

WASHINGTON — Wading into the politically charged immigration debate, a group of colleges and universities is urging Congress to give illegal immigrants tuition aid and a path to citizenship in light of efforts in several states to block them.