04/12/2016: Jeff Selingo Gives Students a Blueprint for Life After College, by George Anders, EdSurge - Ask people about the value of college today, and you'll get a bewildering mix of answers. Optimists savor a 2014 Federal Reserve study showing that people with diplomas earn $830,000 more than non-graduates over their lifetimes. Skeptics respond that it is impossible to ignore rising student debt, rickety graduation rates - and growing anxiety about many graduates' eventual destiny.

04/11/2016: Community Colleges, Seeking Profit Abroad, Face Pushback at Home, by Melissa Korn, The Wall Street Journal - There's been a quieter rush overseas by the nation's community colleges, which historically focus on training a local workforce. The colleges are seeking profits and prestige in international markets amid uncertain state funding and rising costs, but instead are seeing some pushback to their plans.

04/11/2016: Two-Year Grads Satisfied With Cost of Degree, by Stephanie Marken and Julie Ray, Gallup - Bachelor's degrees are still more common in the U.S. than associate degrees, but the typically less expensive two-year degrees have become increasingly popular in the past decade as college costs have skyrocketed. A new Gallup-USA Funds study of associate degree holders finds that many of those who received these degrees strongly believe they were worth the cost (46%) and were essential to achieving their career goals (41%). But at the same time, associate degree holders trail bachelor's degree holders in several key aspects of their lives.

04/08/2016: Why Starting at a Community College Can Be a Smarter Option, by DeRionne Pollard, The Washington Post - Community colleges enjoy partnerships with local industries, allowing the colleges to align curriculums with industry demands as they evolve. Choices include degree programs areas, certificate programs and noncredit career programs designed for students to obtain entry-level credentials. These programs allow students to step into middle-skills positions such as automotive technician, HVAC repair technician and diagnostic medical sonographer.

04/08/2016: A Brighter Job Market, for Some, by Tara Siegel Bernard, The New York Times - New college graduates looking for their first full-time job have reason to be optimistic. After a string of dismal to lackluster years, the job outlook brightened considerably for the class of 2015. And despite uncertainty about the strength of the economy, recruiters, on-campus career specialists and economists remain generally upbeat about prospects for this year's graduates.

04/08/2016: Effectiveness, Defined Broadly, by Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed - Nearly half of students who enter college with the worst academic preparation do not earn any credential at all. Those who get some college education but no credential have little edge in the employment market over students with just a high school degree. Students from low-income backgrounds and those with low test scores are disproportionately among those who strive for but fail to complete a bachelor's degree.

04/2016: Career and Technical Education in High School: Does It Improve Student Outcomes?, by Shaun M. Dougherty, Thomas B. Fordham Institute - Ask any group of high school teachers, and they will report that the most frequently heard question in their classrooms is, "When are we ever gonna use this?" In a traditional college prep program, the honest answer is usually, "Maybe when you get to the university." But in the real world? Depending on the class, maybe not at all.

03/14/2016: 7 Things Higher Education Innovators Want You to Know, by Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology - Experts weigh in on the challenges of student success and the need for innovation in higher ed.

03/10/2016: Infographic: The Urban Higher Education Ecosystem Solution, The Kresge Foundation - With so many low-income students attending postsecondary institutions in urban areas, the Education Program at The Kresge Foundation has focused on a solution - improving the urban higher education ecosystem.