Notes in the Margins: Debt, boot camps and employer pickiness

Student Debt and the Economy The student loan debt crisis has become a drag on the economy. Younger Americans who are saddled with bankrupting payments — or credit ratings damaged by delinquency — are in no position to buy homes, save for retirement or start businesses. (The New York Times)

The Business of Boot Camps So-called bridge programs, which offer liberal-arts majors crash courses on business skills, war stories from executives and nuts-and-bolts tips to make it in the corporate world, have existed at a number top business schools for some years. The pricey programs—which often cost between $5,000 and $10,000 for a few weeks of training—boast faculty rosters similar to those that M.B.A.s might encounter. And with job jitters hitting new highs among college students, the market for such programs is heating up. (The Wall Street Journal)

With Positions to Fill, Employers Wait for Perfection American employers have a variety of job vacancies, piles of cash and countless well-qualified candidates. But despite a slowly improving economy, many companies remain reluctant to actually hire, stringing job applicants along for weeks or months before they make a decision -- if they ever do. (The New York Times)

As the world goes digital, libraries adjust their strategies As colleges continue to adjust to a more digital world, libraries have had to keep up as well. (USA Today)

What the AP program can't do The expansion of the AP Program failed to promote real parity between the educational haves and have-nots. Because once the AP Program reached a critical mass, it lost its functionality as a mark of distinction. (The Washington Post)

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