The Penn Foster Blog

Across the nation, the rate of high schoolers graduating with associate's degrees and college credits is on the rise. As the rate has grown by 7% a year, it's clear that students are interested in earning postsecondary credentials earlier on in their academic careers. Before high school commencement this past May, hundreds and possibly thousands of students had earned their associate degree while still in high school.

Since its inception in 1890, Penn Foster has dedicated itself to enhancing students' lives by imparting the knowledge, skills and credentials to help students get started on their career path. In doing so, Penn Foster has paid tribute to the honor of skilled labor. From extending educational opportunities to miners, women and military personnel to reaching out to TV and Internet audiences, Penn Foster has brought the benefits of education to workers from all walks of life. As the school celebrates its 125th year of operation, Penn Foster's long history of helping hardworking people learn more testifies to its commitment to its mission.

The question, "is a college degree worth it?" persists as tuition rates increase and student loan debt skyrockets. But the Wall Street Journal breaks down the question over the investment of a college degree even further by asking:  If a student does attend and graduate college, does the graduate from a flagship state university with a bachelor's degree earn more? Or the graduate with a two-year degree from a community college or career college?

Experiential learning is the process of acquiring knowledge and skills outside the traditional academic setting. It embraces the idea that students learn better by doing - by experiencing - and reflecting upon those experiences, as opposed to being lectured to. Internships, applied learning projects and a variety of creative and professional work experiences are all examples of experiential learning.

High school students who want to become the first in their families to attend college often lack support, guidance and know-how necessary for college admissions and beyond.1 While the number of first-generation ACT takers has nearly doubled since 2011, over half of those taking the test meet none of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. To address this problem, the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education interviewed first-generation students to identify the factors that had the most impact on college enrollment decisions.2 Pell's findings identified three steps high school educators and administrators can take to help first-generation students get motivated and prepared to enter college.

On Wednesday, July 15th, four senators announced that they have reintroduced the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education Act -- or the Youth PROMISE Act.

I had the pleasure of spending three days last week at the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC) 2015 Annual Conference. This is my second time around and it was wonderful to see many friends from Penn Foster's partner schools - many of whom I directly work with - and some new faces.  

Chipotle Mexican Grill is the latest company kicking its employee benefits up several notches in an effort to attract and retain workers for entry-level positions. Starting July 1, the restaurant company now offers hourly workers full tuition reimbursement, paid vacations days and paid sick time. What started out as an unknown quick-service restaurant in 1993 has grown into a company that empowers its employees to become leaders and embark on a career path.

The number of college students who are 25 years or older continues to grow, and this number is expected to outpace younger students in the coming years. The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that adult students will actually become the new majority. Between 2012 and 2013, students younger than 25 increased by 12 percent, whereas students older than 25 jumped ahead by 20 percent.