CHE: Federal-Loan Changes May Curb Graduate Study

Beginning July 1, 2012, incoming and current graduate students will accrue interest on federal student loans while in school. The changes to graduate students' loan programs are the result of the congressional debt-ceiling deal signed into law last summer. They are projected to save the federal government $21.6-billion over the next 10 years, money that will be put toward Pell Grants for financially needy undergraduates.

With the elimination of the subsidized-loan option, graduate students who take out large amounts of loans could owe hundreds of dollars more per month. For example, a graduate student who has borrowed $65,000 in subsidized loans from the federal government—the maximum amount now allowed—would have to take out an unsubsidized loan, requiring $207 more in payments per month in interest over the course of 10 years, including while still enrolled in school.

Graduate students also will no longer be eligible for special incentives for repaying their loans on time. Students now pay a 1-percent origination fee when they take out a loan but are given a refund equal to half that amount when they make 12 successive on-time payments in the first year after graduation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that eliminating this credit would save the federal government $3.6-billion over the next 10 years.

Graduate students are worried about what this will mean for their wallets and for their ability to finish their degrees. And some of their advocates say that enrollment and retention rates may drop. These policy changes may also have a significant negative impact on students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds (i.e., women and racial minorities), who already carry higher debt levels than the national average. Lastly, eliminating the in-school interest subsidy will also increase the cost of attendance at a time when the job market is sluggish and advanced degrees offer little shield from unemployment and underemployment. It is disappointing and worrisome.

Upworthy: 11 Things The Wealthiest Americans Could Buy for the U.S. (That Most Families Can't Afford for Themselves)

Upworthy created an infographic about the 11 things the wealthiest Americans could buy for families in the United States. The facts are disturbing when you think about it. We're living in an era with the greatest income inequality, yet solutions like these sound so far-fetched and unimaginable.

Review: Ferguson's Careers in Activism (2011)

Ferguson's Careers in Activism (2011) is a comprehensive vocational guide that describes a variety of careers for people who want to make a difference in the world. Opportunities exist in politics and with government agencies, at colleges and universities, in law offices, with nonprofit advocacy organizations and foundations, in court system, in offices, in newsrooms and broadcast studios, in foreign countries, and other work settings. The book warms that those with experience and advanced educational training will have the best opportunities in this field.

Each profile focuses on a specific career related to activism. The book is divided into 12 sections: Overview (recommended school subjects, personal skills, and minimum educational requirements); Quick Facts (brief introduction of the industry); History (the history of the job as it relates to the overall development of its industry); Job (primary and secondary duties of the job); Requirements (high school and post-secondary education, certification and licensing, and other training); Exploring (suggestions on how to gain experience in and knowledge of the job); Employers (typical places of employment for the job); Starting Out (best ways to land that first job); Advancement (type of career path to expect from the job); Earnings (salary ranges and typical fringe benefits); Work Environment (typical surroundings and conditions of employment); and Outlook (summary of job in terms of the general economy and industry projections).

It covers the following 20 jobs: animal activists, college professors, community organizers, directors of volunteers, elder law attorneys, environmental activists, federal and state officials, foundation workers, grant administrators, grant coordinators and writers, health advocates, human rights activists, human services workers, lobbyists, photojournalists, public interest lawyers, research assistants, victim advocates, and writers. Overall, this is a good guide for recent graduates and career changers who don't know what careers exist in society. Given its small size (194 pages), it is easy to read and packed with important information to help you get started in the field of activism.

"Activists are committed individuals who seek to correct injustices by educating the public, taking direct action, and urging government officials to act."