myUsearch blog

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released its report on Educational Attainment in the United States. Educational attainment is still far from equal among Americans, but the percentage of the population graduating from high school and college appears to be rising steadily. The report is primarily based on two sources, the 2007 American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey. It provides data for educational attainment by demographics such as age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. While the report shows many positive trends in education, some of the information reveals shocking gaps in educational attainment. Read on for some of the highlights of the report. (more…)

I always dreamed of college as a place where your ideas are questioned every day and where social change just bubbles to the surface. When we hit campus this fall, many of my friends and I organized, rallied, or voted for the first time, and finally in November we witnessed the historic election of Barack Obama. Although so many other topics were at the forefront of the campaign, the new President will have to face a number of issues that affect college and college-bound students. As we look forward on the day after the inauguration, here’s a look at a few of the new administration’s ideas and goals for improving higher education.

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Martin Luther King Day: Monday, January 19, 2009.  It is one of only three federal holidays in which the United States celebrates an individual person. In the past, minority access to higher education has been a controversial, or rather taboo, topic, but not today. I’d like to share the contents of this post to praise the advancements that the US has made in raising minority numbers in colleges and universities around the country and to look back and see how far we’ve come from the days of MLK.

 Photo by Nelson Piedra 

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Imagine that one day, the entire University of California shut down. That would be 262,845 students without a college to attend. That’s a quarter of a million students that no longer have the grasp of higher education within their reach. This number represents the amount of actual students that will be turned down by California community colleges. Last week, Scott Lay, C.E.O of Community College League of California, sent out a release stating that budget cuts may deny these students acceptance to a community college. (more…)

During this time of economic volatility, we are all beginning to realize that life as we know it will forever be different. But that doesn’t change the ever-present questions on the mind of most high school seniors: What are my college options? What colleges should I apply to? Do I want my parents to foot the bill for an expensive education?

So what exactly should you do to gain access to the best college opportunities during this uncertain time?

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Have you been laid off? Searching for a job without any luck? About to graduate without any job opportunities on the horizon?

Going back to school can be a great way to survive a recession, but is it the right move for you? To find out, we interviewed Senior Vice President and Chief HR Officer John Heins from Spherion, a leading staffing and recruiting company that placed over 300,000 job-seekers last year alone. Here is what he had to say:

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In August, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) was officially signed into law in the hopes of making colleges more affordable, accessible, and responsible. Political buzzwords and legal mumbo jumbo aside, how will this new legislation affect your college plans and college experience?

photo by cdedbdme

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I learned something new today: in Ancient Greece, they used the amethyst stone to ward off drunkenness. It’s also the name of a new movement to change the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 in the United States.

Photo by rick.

It’s been a past-time for some teenagers to make the trip across the border into Canada (my home land, for the record) to buy beer, where the legal drinking age is 19. I had my first taste of alcohol before I was legal age, maybe 17 or 18- and, by “normal” standards, I was a late bloomer. The Amethyst Initiative is a movement to change the legal drinking age in the US from 21 to 18. From a Canadian’s perspective, this is probably not the best idea. Let me explain why.

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On Monday, President Bush signed a $162 billion war spending bill into law. The new bill will increase educational benefits for service members who have served at least three years on active duty. Veterans will be eligible for up to 100% of their full tuition fees and will receive a monthly housing stipend, a tutoring allowance of up to $1200 and $1000 dollars per year for textbooks and supplies.

On the surface, this bill seems like a much needed improvement to the benefits our armed forces receive, but will the benefits really outweigh the costs to our country and our troops?

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myUsearch is searching for high school and college students to explore the truth behind the college experience. Our video bloggers produce short videos to help new students choose, apply for and pay for college, and the best part is….. the position is paid.

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The North Carolina Community College system announced Tuesday that it would no longer admit undocumented students. This decision, made in response to a letter from the State Attorney General, has spawned intense discussion about the rights of illegal immigrants and the cost of educating undocumented students. It seems people have very strong opinions about this subject, but unfortunately many of these opinions are based solely on ignorance and stereotypes. So I beg you, before you rush to form your own opinion, read these facts first:

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Today bloggers everywhere have been asked to speak out for human rightsfor Bloggers Unite Day. I have decided to speak out about something I feel very strongly about — Guantanamo — and encourage all of you students to drop your beer (or other recreational drug of choice) and join me.

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While on a leave of absence from Berkeley, law professor John Yoo took a position with the Bush Administration. During his time there, he wrote controversial memoranda that officials used as the legal basis for interrogation techniques now widely viewed as torture. Many claim that Yoo’s memoranda was the green light that allowed US interrogators to inflict extreme emotional and physical pain on detainees, ultimately leading to the death of at least one innocent man.

Today, Yoo has returned to Berkeley and continues to teach law to young scholars. Do you think this is acceptable?

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Have any of you tried to search for colleges by visiting a college search site? If so, you already know what I’m talking about, skip to the recommendations below. But if you’re still a search engine virgin, look before you leap. Here is what is happening…. (more…)

According to articles on Michigan Newslog and Young Money, major sources of funding for student loans are backing out of the business, particularly banks like the TCF Financial Corporation, HSBC Bank USA and the M&T Bank Corporation. With three of the fifty largest lenders out of the game, $560 million dollars worth in student loans is now unaccessible to the students who need them. While the need for an education becomes more and more important, tuition rates are soaring to new heights.

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On Thursday, February 14th, tragedy struck the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb, Illinois. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims, families and all those on the campus.  This event leaves many of us asking what’s going on in our high schools and colleges?  But, we should quit asking what’s going on in our schools, and start asking what’s going on in our society, communities and homes that drives people to take such drastic action?

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