I would like to write about how students prepared for college and what their expectations were. Did these expectations change or stay the same? I would also like to examine if students knew all of the options that were available to them or if they received the proper education prior to college about the various options to pay for it. For example, many students were not aware of programs such as NJ STARS or what they could do for them financially. Were students given the opportunity to apply for scholarships, their due dates, and other valuable information. I feel that students are thrown into college without knowing all of the facts, and if they did would they have made different decisions? It is impossible for students to know everything even if they have help. How are students being educated about the financial aspects of college and how could such programs impact their decisions? Understanding how students are educated about financials and how they get into their debt will give critical insight into how we can change the outcome for future students.
"How are students being educated about the financial aspects of college and how could such programs impact their decisions?" I think that is an intriguing question. My first thought is that, like many things, there is little explicit instruction given to young people on this topic -- they just pick up cultural cues and signals from parents. Or they fall prey to advertising. So that is an interesting topic, since students need to get savvy to survive the future of higher education. This is a new topic for me, but I will give it some thought and come back with a more specific suggestion.
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