Freelance writer Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra has an excellent article/interview about what Alex and Brett Harris are doing these days. Six years ago these brothers co-authors the best-selling book Do Hard Things (over 450,000 copies have sold). Today, they're both still doing hard things, but in very different ways. Alex is in his third year of law school and Brett is caring for an ailing wife. Both comment extensively in the article about how their background and the do-hard-things mentality prepared them for their current challenges. “Doing hard things in one season prepares you to step into … [Read more...] about Alex & Brett Harris (Still) Doing Hard Things
Thriving at College
How Do We Fix Our Schools?
Joel Klein is the former chancellor of New York City schools. So he has a unique vantage point from which to assess the state of K-12 education in America. Today he has an article in the WSJ about raising the quality of teachers. Looking at Finland, which 40 years ago ranked near the bottom in Europe but today boasts a high school graduation rate of 93 percent, Klein writes: The Finnish model suggests that, if we are serious about improving the quality of the people who go into teaching, we must begin by asking more of the education schools that train our teachers. Far too many of these … [Read more...] about How Do We Fix Our Schools?
How Bad Is the Job Market for the Class of 2014?
I missed this May 2014 article in Slate by Jordan Weissmann. In the graph to the left "underemployed" is defined as "either jobless and hunting for work; working part-time because they can’t find a full-time job; or want a job, have looked within the past year, but have now given up on searching." Weissmann explains that over-qualification represents another kind of underemployment. "In a January report, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that roughly 44 percent of recent graduates—meaning those ages 22 to 27 with a B.A. or higher—were in a job that did not technically … [Read more...] about How Bad Is the Job Market for the Class of 2014?
Is the unwavering belief in the value of college justified?
In the previous post, I noted that 85% of parents strongly agreed that college was an investment in their child’s future, the highest in the last five years. Some will ask: Is such confidence justified? The answer seems to be yes: the earnings premium of having a college degree continues to rise. In 2013, the earnings premium in constant 2012 dollars was $17,500 versus $15,780 in 1995 and just $7,499 in 1965. But here's the troubling reality, and I think it's driving some of the debate on the value of college. The wages for college grads have barely risen since 1986 (see below), even … [Read more...] about Is the unwavering belief in the value of college justified?
How We Pay For College is Changing
From a national study by Sallie Mae, How America Pays for College 2013. Four highlights: Higher scholarships and grants. "Free money" now pays for 30% of college costs, up from 25% four years ago. Reduced parent contributions. Parents now fund from income and savings 27% of college expenses, down from 2010’s peak funding of 36%. Unwavering belief in the value of college. 85% of parents strongly agreed that college was an investment in their child’s future, the highest in the last five years. New cost-consciousness. A higher number of families factor college costs into the choice of … [Read more...] about How We Pay For College is Changing
Where Interns Earn the Most
Wow. And some of these interns come straight out of high school. Avg monthly income for U.S. households in 2012: $4,280. Read more. … [Read more...] about Where Interns Earn the Most