Notes in the Margins: Vets, helicopter parents and ditching the car

A Manual for ‘Helicopter Parents’ to Land Their Aircraft Having worked closely over the past four years with some parents who have tended to get a bit overinvolved, my suspicion is that the great majority are well-intentioned. I imagine it’s not easy transitioning from guiding a child through elementary, middle and high school to what’s required at the postsecondary level and beyond. (The New York Times)

New Enrollment Dips a Bit at U.S. Graduate Schools The Council of Graduate Schools found a change in the usual inverse relationship between the economy and enrollment. (The New York Times)

10 ways colleges encourage students to ditch their cars On World Car-Free Day, environmentalists are encouraging everyone to walk, bike or take public transit to work or class instead of driving. It’s the same message that many college administrators give to students at the beginning of every year. The prime motivations are often logistical (not enough parking), but it’s a cause that many students are backing for green reasons. (The Washington Post)

For-Profit Colleges Reaping Benefits From Veterans As veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan use billions of dollars in federal benefits to pay for higher education, for-profit colleges are capturing more than a third of the money -- about $1.6 billion -- despite educating only a quarter of the veterans, according to a report released Thursday by a Senate committee. (The Huffington Post)

Think Different? Not on College Campuses Whenever a new competitor (such as online education) enters the higher-education market and tries something different, those at traditional colleges criticize the newcomers as not understanding pedagogy. But what if higher ed lost its grip on the credential business? Perhaps then administrators and professors would be forced to think that there is more than one way to provide a college education. (The Huffington Post)

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