| Schools unhurt by admissions change
Four prominent universities that ditched their early admissions programs have answered questions about whether the move would hurt their popularity. That answer is no. All are reporting record applications this year. Harvard, Princeton and the University of Virginia attracted widespread attention with announcements in 2006 that they would stop holding a separate, early round of admissions in the fall. They argued the practice contributes to anxiety and disadvantages students who need financial aid. This year, they began considering all applicants in a single pool with a January deadline. The University of Florida later made a similar announcement and moved to a single deadline of Nov. 1. Most selective schools kept some form of early admissions. Now, the results are in.
A long-kept Md. secret: interest-free college loans
Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. There's no age limit. Recipients range from age 17 to 61. To qualify for a loan, you must apply for federal financial aid. You need to have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4. And you must have a co-signer for the loan so that if you don't repay it, the co-signer would be on the hook. Central Scholarship will begin accepting applications for the 2008-2009 academic year in January. The deadline is May 31. For more details check out the nonprofit's Web site at www.centralsb.org. .
Rutgers: High unemployment, slow growth for NJ
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey is caught in "the economic doldrums" and its economy likely will perform worse than the rest of the nation's through at least 2012, according to a Rutgers University semiannual economic forecast.
Slow job growth and rising unemployment are expected, with a quick turnaround unlikely, according to the Rutgers Economic Advisory Service forecast, released Thursday at a conference at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers.
Experts speaking at the conference said they see a 50 percent chance of a recession hitting the nation this year, possibly as soon as the first quarter.
"The fourth quarter (2007) gross domestic product number will be critical" in determining the trend, said Joseph Seneca, a professor at the school.
A long-kept Md. secret: interest-free college loans
Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. There's no age limit. Recipients range from age 17 to 61. To qualify for a loan, you must apply for federal financial aid. You need to have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4. And you must have a co-signer for the loan so that if you don't repay it, the co-signer would be on the hook. Central Scholarship will begin accepting applications for the 2008-2009 academic year in January. The deadline is May 31. For more details check out the nonprofit's Web site at www.centralsb.org. .
Congress Renews Terror Insurance Act
Federal backstops for terrorism insurance, a result of the Sept. 11 attacks, would be extended for another seven years under legislation the House passed Tuesday and sent to President Bush. The House approved the Senate version of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act after the White House made clear that original House plans to expand the scope of the program would engender a presidential veto. The White House has indicated that Bush will sign the Senate-passed bill. The vote was 360-53. The administration contends that the program, known as TRIA, is a temporary response to the 2001 terrorist attacks and should be phased out in favor of a private market for terrorism insurance. The insurance and real estate industries have pushed for an extension of the program, saying federal guarantees to help cover catastrophic losses are crucial to stimulating the investment needed to keep the economy growing.
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