Transfer Center planning Oct. 5 College Transfer Day

By David Hurst

GROSSMONT COLLEGE—While Grossmont College is a fine institution of higher learning, for many students on campus it is a stepping stone to a four-year university. This is where the Transfer Center in 58-D comes into play.

October will be a big month for students looking to transfer to other Universities. Wednesday, October 5, will be College Transfer Day in the main quad of the Grossmont Campus. There will be over 40 colleges and universities represented. “It is important for students to take advantage of this opportunity,” says Transfer Specialist Diane Sandoval. The day will give the students a chance to familiarize themselves with these colleges and universities.

Sandoval also encourages students to visit the website http://www.grossmont.edu/transfercenter/ to view other upcoming events. “I wish students would really look at this,” she said.

The website features scheduled work shops at which students can get personal attention from Mary Rider, coordinator of the Transfer Center.

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Hurst is a student in Media Commm 132. He may be contacted at davidh@gcsummit.com

Student finishes most of his upper-division studies…here at Grossmont College?

By Dylan Burke

Kyle Seaman

GROSSMONT COLLEGE—After attending Grossmont College for six semesters, Kyle James Seaman is starting yet another year of undergraduate studies, this time at Cuyamaca College, even though he has finished all his required courses for an associate of arts degree.

Seaman graduated from Santana High School in 2008. Afterwards, many of his peers recommended that he go to a community college, like Grossmont, because the plan, according to them, would save money, and would be an easier way to later move on to a four-year institution.

After completing most of his general education courses in 2010, he decided to major in mechanical engineering, but all of his desired schools—San Diego State University and Long Beach State, among others—denied him admission.

So, Seaman studied for yet another year at Grossmont, and has since completed all of his general education requirements, and has even completed more courses in his major.

Confused by the rejection, he talked with several counselors and was told that only ten percent of applicants were accepted: “6,000 applications were sent and only 600 applicants were accepted to San Diego State [University].” Further, Seaman said, “Another 4,000 applications were sent to Long Beach and only about 400 were accepted.”

The following year, he had a counselor check for him why he wasn’t able to transfer to San Diego State University.

After years of being told that to transfer to colleges was a relatively easy thing to do, he learned that he had completed only 50% of his major, and, with that completion-rate, he could not transfer to a University for an “impacted” major.  So he decided to take more courses in is major.

Regardless of his current situation, Seamamn said he maintains the motivation to do well in school that he received from his parents when he was a kid. Among his goals is to land a high paying job.

Seaman is currently employed with Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes and has served with the lifeguards at the YMCA program in Santee where he lives.

He said he  hopes to be admitted to San Diego State University soon and graduate shortly thereafter as he has finished the majority of his major right here at Grossmont College. His recommendation to new students at Grossmont is this: “find a good counselor, one you prefer, and stick with that person through your time in college.”

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Burke is a student in MediaComm 132; contact him at DylanB@gcsummit.com

Tougher rules urged for for-profit colleges

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The United States Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) issued the following statement concerning Department of Education rules concerning the eligibility of for-profit schools for federally funded student loans.

“The US Department of Education this month took the first step in reining in abusive practices at for-profit colleges which pile deep debt onto their students in exchange for questionable credentials.  It issued a new rule that sets a standard for these schools: their programs have to ensure graduates can earn enough to pay off the hefty student loans they must carry to pay for their enrollment.

“The price tag for these colleges is so high that about half of all borrowers who default on their student loans attend for-profit colleges.  The quality of the education is so weak that, in one survey, 57 percent of students departed without a diploma.

“Meanwhile, taxpayers are picking up the tab by underwriting billions in federal student loans and grant aid that pour into these colleges.  About one in ten college students attends a for-profit college, but these colleges absorb one in four federal loan and grant dollars.

“USPIRG is disappointed that the new standard doesn’t go into effect soon enough, nor is it strong enough to adequately clean up the industry on behalf of student loan borrowers.  We look forward to pushing for further reform with supporters on Capitol Hill and in offices of Attorneys General across the country.

To read more about the issue and the rule, visit www.protectstudentsandtaxpayers.org

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Preceding provided by USPIRG

New penalties announced for for-profit colleges that fail to produce jobs for students

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Tthe Obama Administration on Thursday released final regulations requiring career college programs to better prepare students for “gainful employment” or risk losing access to Federal student aid.

While many career college programs are helping to prepare America’s workforce for the jobs of the future, far too many students at these schools are taking on unsustainable debt in exchange for degrees and certificates that fail to help them get the jobs they need or were promised. These regulations are designed to ramp up over the next four years, giving colleges time to reform while protecting students and their families from exploitative programs.

“These new regulations will help ensure that students at these schools are getting what they pay for: solid preparation for a good job,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “We’re giving career colleges every opportunity to reform themselves but we’re not letting them off the hook, because too many vulnerable students are being hurt,” Duncan continued.

Commentary: Grants and scholarships help wealthy students, but few low-income ones

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–“Low-income students who have worked hard, played by the rules and done what’s been asked of them academically are not getting the support they need to pay for college,” said José Cruz, vice president of higher education program and policy at The Education Trust. “While costs have soared over the last 30 years, grant aid for low-income students has not kept pace, forcing more and more of them to encumber themselves with life-altering debt.”

As it stands, these financial-aid policy choices increasingly benefit affluent students instead of those with the greatest demonstrated need. And the results speak for themselves: More than 80 percent of students from families in the highest income quartile have a bachelor’s degree by age 24, but the figure for young Americans from the lowest income quartile is just 8 percent. Without a concerted effort at the federal, state, and institutional levels to help more students earn a college degree, the affordability gap will continue to grow.

“Our findings suggest that both federal and state lawmakers as well as institutional leaders have been focusing too much on maintaining the status quo — or boosting their position in popular rankings —rather than improving college opportunity,” Cruz said. “To reverse that trend and to align our policies with our values, we must reevaluate financial-aid policies at all levels to ensure that precious financial-aid dollars are being used to increase opportunity, not to limit it.”

Rutgers president to step down

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (USANN4)–The head of New Jersey’s largest higher education institution is stepping down.   The Star-Ledger reports that Richard L. McCormick will leave as president of Rutgers University next year after a decade in office.   McCormick told the paper that he is leaving on his own terms.

He said that he plans to spend a year on sabbatical, then return to the faculty.   McCormick noted as his proudest achievement the restructuring of undergraduate programs at the main New Brunswick-Piscataway campus.

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Preceding provided by USA News Network 4

Undergraduate enrollments soared last decade

WASHINGTON, D.C. (USANN4)–Undergraduate enrollments jumped by more than a third in the first decade of the 21^st century.   That’s according to a new report by the National Center for Education Statistics.   The federal report says the biggest growth occurred at for-profit colleges.

It was the fastest decade of growth since the 1970s.   For-profit colleges enrolled nine percent of undergraduates in 2009, up from three percent in 2000.

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Preceding provided by USA News Network 4

And you’ll get paid, pal

SAN JOSE, California (USANN4)–Twenty-four talented college students are getting rewarded for leaving school.   Peter Thiel (pron. TEEL), a co-founder of PayPal, will pay each of the 24 winners of his Thiel Fellowship $100,000.   They get the money if they don’t attend college for two years, and instead develop business ideas.

The students, all age 20 or younger, currently attend prestigious schools such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.   They leave to work with a network of Silicon Valley mentors.   The fellows will further develop their ideas in areas such as biotechnology, education, and energy.

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NCAA penalizes teams with low academic scores

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (USANN4)– Major college basketball and football teams have been  penalized for poor academic performance.   The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has sanctioned 103 teams for missing its academic benchmark.   One of the teams penalized was the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball team, the reigning national champions.

Other penalized teams in basketball include Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and Louisiana State.   Elite football programs getting penalties for low academic progress are Louisville and Maryland.   The NCAA handed one-year post-season bans to eight teams at seven institutions.

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UF okays students appearing on ‘Jersey Shore’

GAINESVILLE, Florida (USANN4)–The University of Florida won’t be punishing students for participating in the filming of Jersey Shore.   TMZ reported earlier that the school sent an e-mail to students enrolled in its study abroad program in Italy.   The e-mail stated, quote, “any student who does agree to participate in the filming of the show, or who signs a waiver or legal agreement” with MTV would be dismissed from the program.

The school has since reversed its position.   A university spokeswoman acknowledged a school official sent the original e-mail to students.   However, she said students can be involved in outside activities as long as they meet the academic and living requirements of the study abroad program.

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Preceding provided by USA News Network 4