High school and college students are embracing artificial intelligence as a learning aid rather than fearing its impact on future jobs. While educators still urge caution, many young learners are using AI tools like ChatGPT outside the classroom to save time and enhance their skills.
Every additional $1,000 students earn in their first job out of college translates to an additional $700 in annual earnings five years after graduating, a new National Bureau of Economics Research paper finds.
In the agreement, the Trump administration said it will again process student loan forgiveness for eligible borrowers in two income-driven repayment plans—the original Income-Contingent Repayment plan and the Pay as You Earn plan—as long as those programs remain in effect.
Experts say “behind-the-scenes” discounting through merit aid and grants has become widespread, though inconsistent formulas leave families seeking transparency.
Seven of the 10 best value colleges in the U.S. are part of the City University of New York network, according to The Wall Street Journal’s 2026 rankings.
Northwestern University has the lowest estimated all-in price among the top 10 universities for the 2025-26 school year at $77,516 to $96,236, depending on whether students live on campus or in an off-campus apartment, according to the school.
Although paying this tab is easy, getting in may not be. Each of these schools has high academic standards, experts say—and in return for a degree at no cost, the commitment they require, even after graduation, is steep.
Student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance are no longer shielded from accumulating interest after a policy change by the Trump administration. While payments remain paused, experts warn that debt will grow and recommend switching to another repayment plan.
OpenAI said it built study mode in collaboration with teachers, scientists, education experts and students who participate in its ChatGPT Lab, which is where cohorts of college students share how they are using OpenAI’s tools.
President Donald Trump’s massive tax and spending package will cap how much money people can borrow from the federal government to pay for college and graduate school. For the first time, borrowers will have a total lifetime borrowing limit of $257,500 for all federal student loans.
Instead of the existing flat 1.4% tax rate, there is now a new multi-tiered rate of up to 8%, with larger endowments subject to the highest rate. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this endowment tax will bring in $761 million over 10 years.
The federal student loan system is facing a massive overhaul, which could result in less college aid. But higher education is only getting more expensive.To bridge the gap, some schools are offering substantial financial aid packages.
About 40% of undergraduates rely on Pell Grants to pay for college, and experts say if the plans are enacted, many of the lowest-income students would be forced to drop out.
The unemployment rate for recent college grads reached 5.8% in March, up from 4.6% the same time a year ago, according to an April report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
More than 5 million borrowers are in default—a number that could double in months, according to the Trump administration. The government can collect by seizing tax refunds, wages, and Social Security benefits.
