Everyone in America should be concerned about recent news that the U.S. Department of Education has quietly but steadily deprioritized investigations into fraud and abuse by a number of for-profit institutions. This doesn’t just impact current and future students — it affects every tax-paying citizen in our country.
Higher education is more than a series of classes or a piece of paper, especially to first-generation students. It is the path to opportunity, social mobility and economic success. But the current environment is already difficult enough for the average student and his or her family to navigate. Which school is both affordable and will help a student reach his or her goals? How much financial aid might a student qualify for — and how much will he or she need to pay back?