Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A millennial with a doctoral degree and over $250,000 in <keyword id="419611" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="student-loan" source="Orion">student loan</keyword> <keyword id="44647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="debt" source="Orion">debt</keyword> said she can't find a job.</li><li>She's looking for business jobs while working in a healthcare role to help pay the bills.</li></ul>Over the last decade, A. <keyword id="23550886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rasberry" source="keywords">Rasberry</keyword> has placed a great deal of value on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/student-loans/is-college-worth-it">higher education</a>. She's now come to regret it. Rasberry earned a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degree in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ibm-accenture-dell-companies-no-longer-require-college-degrees-2023-3">business management</a> from <keyword id="23550889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="saint-leo-university" source="keywords">Saint Leo University</keyword> in Florida. However, she said she's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-market-unemployment-rate-interest-rates-fed-cuts-outlook-economy-2024-9">struggled to find a job</a> in her field of study over the last four years. Additionally, she has over $250,000 in student loan debt, according to a document viewed by <keyword id="19935969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-insider" source="keywords">Business Insider</keyword>. "I graduated with my doctoral degree in 2020 and can't find a job to save my life," the Virginia-based 38-year-old told Business Insider via email. She asked for partial anonymity, only using the first initial of her first name and her last name, due to privacy concerns. Since earning her doctoral degree, Rasberry has applied for various business management roles but had little success. She said she's been forced to expand her job search and explore a new career in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-nurse-earning-187k-salary-degree-works-9-months-2023-4">nursing</a> to help her make ends meet. "I thought <keyword id="6355445" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="education" source="Orion">education</keyword> was the road to financial freedom," she said. "But I was wrong." Rasberry is among the Americans who are having a tough time <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-looking-job-cant-get-hired-college-degress-entry-level-2024-7">finding work</a>. In part, it's because businesses across the US have significantly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jobs-recent-college-grads-hiring-slowdown-unemployment-higher-than-population-2024-9">scaled back on hiring</a> over the past two years. The ratio of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cant-find-job-masters-degree-running-out-savings-gen-x-2024-9">job openings</a> to unemployed people — an indicator of job availability — has declined considerably. While the <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE">unemployment rate</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/JTSLDR">layoff rate</a> remain low compared to historical levels, the hiring slowdown means that many job seekers are having a considerably harder time than they were a few years ago. Rasberry shared why she thinks her job search has been so challenging, how she made her career pivot, and her top piece of advice for people pursuing higher education. <h2>"Most organizations prefer experience over education"</h2>After receiving her doctorate degree, Rasberry's initial goal was to land an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-adjunct-professor-salary-not-enough-live-student-loan-debt-2024-6">adjunct professor</a> position. However, after speaking with people in the education field, she decided to change course. "I've learned how difficult it is to get started in the field," she said. "Essentially, after earning a doctoral degree, I would have to go back to school to take more courses to support a teaching career." She said she was told she'd specifically need more education-related credits. As a result, Rasberry said she decided to give up on teaching and focus on finding other roles in her area of study: business management. But her job search has been challenging. Rasberry said she hasn't landed many interviews, and that when she does — and gets turned down — she's had a hard time figuring out what went wrong. She said she's expanded her job search to non-managerial bookkeeping, accounting, tutoring, and human resources roles, but that she hasn't had much luck with these either. Rasberry said she thinks the biggest obstacle in her job search is her lack of work experience. While pursuing her degrees, she said she gained some entry-level work experience in banking, human resources, and bookkeeping roles. However, she thinks this experience might be insufficient in the eyes of employers. "I am over qualified for most entry-level positions but I am under qualified for management or leadership positions," she said. "Ultimately, my degree has been both a blessing and a curse." Rasberry said her top piece of advice for people who pursue higher education is to do your homework. Before she pursued her degrees, she said she wished she had spent more time evaluating her school's job placement programs, internship partnerships, and the employment rates of recent graduates across different fields. Additionally, she recommended taking time to think about the value of a college degree and the best ways to use it to land a job. "I learned most organizations prefer experience over education," she said. "Had I known that I would not have spent so many years in college." <h2>A healthcare job is helping to pay the bills during her job search</h2>In recent years, Rasberry said she's worked various part-time jobs to pay the bills. "It feels next to impossible to work a single job and earn enough money to cover essentials like rent, fuel, electricity, etc. in the state of Virginia," she said. One analysis found Virginia was the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-least-expensive-states-household-bills-hawaii-california-west-virginia-2024-6">13th-most expensive</a> state when it comes to overall cost-of-living. At the same time, she's also exploring another field: healthcare. Rasberry said that for roughly the past year, she'd been working as much as 80 hours a week as a direct care liaison. She said this involves reviewing the healthcare needs of patients and detailing the support they need. "I am new to nursing, but I find it rewarding and I like the shift flexibility," she said. Rasberry said she found a nursing role that provided free training and certification. However, she said the downside was that this certification wouldn't carry over to any other employers — limiting her opportunities in the industry. This is among the reasons she hasn't stopped applying for business-related jobs. Another reason is that she doesn't think she was paid particularly well in her direct care liaison role — she said she was earning $21.50 an hour. Despite the long hours, she said the low pay is why she didn't view it as a full-time job. "It doesn't come with full time pay," she said. In recent months, Rasberry said she began focusing more on looking for remote roles like the <keyword id="23550888" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="turbotax" source="keywords">TurboTax</keyword> opportunity. She said working remotely would make it easier to keep herhealthcare job, reduce her commuting costs, and care for her dog. Over the last month, Rasberry finally had some luck in the job market. She said she landed a remote plan consultant position in the nursing field that pays about $70,000 a year — equivalent to an hourly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/jobs/70000-a-year-is-how-much-an-hour/">rate</a> of over $30 an hour. While she views this as a positive development, she said she will "absolutely" continue searching for higher-paying roles in her field of study. "When I'm not working, I'm online, putting in applications for employment," she said. Correction: October 9, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the type of degree Rasberry earned and her title. She earned a doctorate in business administration, not a Ph.D., and she's a care plan consultant, not a nurse.

A millennial with a doctoral degree and over $250k in student loan debt says she's been looking for a job for 4 years. She wishes she prioritized work experience over education.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>When high school teacher Kelly Gibson first read about ChatGPT, she was terrified.</li><li>But she's since chosen to embrace AI in the classroom, allowing students to use AI tools for essays.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Kelly Gibson, 56, a teacher from Oregon, about her personal experience using ChatGPT in her classroom. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I've been a teacher for 27 years. I currently teach English at a small rural high school in Oregon.Two years ago, I was on break for Thanksgiving, and a few former students got in touch with me unexpectedly, telling me about a new online tool called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chat-gpt-2023-1">ChatGPT</a>. One of them said students would be able to use it to cheat.It made me nervous. I spent the next few days reading about ChatGPT and became terrified. The tool could generate an entire essay from a prompt I'd give to students.I started learning <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-chatgpt-at-work-job-save-time-ai-2023-2">how to use ChatGPT</a>, and it got me thinking of how I could use it in my classroom. It had the potential to help students write while reinforcing their critical thinking skills.Instead of spending all my time trying to catch <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/students-caught-using-chatgpt-ai-assignment-teachers-debate-2024-9">students using AI to cheat</a>, I've found ways to implement it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-in-the-classroom-has-some-people-worried-teachers-arent-2024-6">in the classroom</a>. I think educators will increasingly learn how to adapt to AI.<h2 id="98cf080d-f532-456b-9116-3954f62b8133">I started playing around with ChatGPT and wanted to use it in class</h2>I experimented with ChatGPT over the holidays. I fed it essay prompts and saw it was able to generate arguments quickly.At that time, it was making basic mistakes. I gave it a prompt about the Shakespeare play "Much Ado About Nothing," and it produced quotes from "As You Like It." But I knew the technology would improve. I began to despair, thinking I'd have to reinvent myself as a teacher.However, when I tried planning lessons and generating worksheets with ChatGPT, I saw how helpful it could be. I was having fun and wanted to help my students use it as a tool instead of to cheat.I considered how to suggest uses for ChatGPT where students could still demonstrate their critical thinking skills. When I got back to school, I talked to the school's administrators and the tech specialist, asking permission to test out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ai-tools-replace-teachers-high-school-students-learning-education-2024-8">ChatGPT in the classroom</a>, starting with my 12th-grade students.<h2 id="0ee9405b-2549-4b9b-a5ec-4e5699b79d02">Letting students use AI as a tool has been more helpful than trying to catch cheating</h2>I began by walking students through experiments I'd done with ChatGPT. One activity involved getting them to write an introductory paragraph. I'd feed those paragraphs into AI, asking it to write an essay based on the introduction. Then, I'd ask students to edit and critique what the AI was capable of compared to their writing.That was around January 2023, and my students were disappointed in the product. They felt the arguments it made were repetitive.Nowadays, my students mostly use AI for editing. Once they've finished an essay, they'll run it through AI editing software to clean up sentence structure and ensure their tenses are aligned.I've told the students I won't be checking for AI in their work. I've tried using programs that claim to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-detection-tool-false-positives-student-writing-2024-1">detect AI writing</a>, but they produce false positives and negatives. I tested something I wrote myself, and the detector told me it was 70% <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-openai-denied-requests-generate-images-candidates-election-trump-harris-2024-11">AI-generated</a>.There's a good chance students are getting away with using more AI than I want them to, but those who want to circumvent systems would have done so without AI, such as by having their big sisters in college help to write their papers.It seems that students have embraced my message and understand AI can only take you so far. I've set assignments where they have to do their own thesis-creation and research prior to using the tools, and they seem to appreciate that combination.I've seen some students feel less overwhelmed by longer writing assignments because they have a tool to help them. But I've seen other students use AI to their detriment by getting it to write their work and not editing it at all.A fellow teacher had a number of students use AI on an assignment without permission. I suggested that she speak with each student to see if they could explain their work. Some had actually learned the information and were able to explain their essays in depth, while others failed at that task, and she asked them to redo the assignment.I'm taking responsibility for making sure students are really learning. One way I assess their skills is by assigning handwritten in-class essays and take-home essays where they can access AI tools.<h2 id="6125a0fb-5148-43c2-a94b-a754f245f982">I'd guess that AI tools will be used more widely by teachers in the future</h2>I've never received negative feedback from a parent about my methods. At our school, some teachers are trying to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-use-chatgpt-daily-life-work-save-time-2024-3">use ChatGPT</a> as a tool for students, and some don't use it at all.I believe every educator is at their best when using rules for the classroom that best fit their teaching style.As an English teacher, I feel that not teaching students how to use this new tool would be like earlier days in my career when some educators didn't want students to use spellcheck. I also remember an outcry among teachers when SparkNotes became available online, but nowadays, teachers mostly don't worry about SparkNotes because we know how to teach around it and work with it.I understand why some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-schools-colleges-ban-plagiarism-misinformation-education-2023-1">school districts previously responded by banning ChatGPT</a>. This hit us without warning, so there's a lack of solid training for school districts to give to educators at this point. I'd guess that as the years go on, there'll be more training, and this will just be another tool under our belt.It's hard to say what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-make-your-job-easier-boost-productivity-work-chatgpt-2023-5">AI tools</a> will look like a few years from now and whether they will stop being tools and start being a brain that impedes critical thinking.My guess is that educators will use AI and other tools in the future to help students become better writers while working diligently to make them stronger thinkers and not dependent on AI for their thinking process.Do you have a story about using AI at work that you want to share with Business Insider? Email <a target="_blank" href="mailto:ccheong@businessinsider.com">ccheong@businessinsider.com</a>

I've been a teacher for 27 years. When ChatGPT first came out, I was terrified; now, I let my students use it to write essays.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="19921999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Education-Department" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Education Department" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Education Department">Education Department</keyword> said student-loan company MOHELA failed to process <keyword id="23618290" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="borrower-applications" source="keywords">borrower applications</keyword> for <keyword id="23618289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-driven-repayment" source="keywords">income-driven repayment</keyword> plans.</li><li>The department is not assigning new accounts to MOHELA until it corrects its actions.</li></ul>The Education Department notified <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fire-student-loan-company-mohela-remove-borrowers-from-roster-biden-2024-5">student-loan company MOHELA</a> on Tuesday that it would be facing penalties for failing to perform the servicing obligations required in its contract. According to a document from the Education Department reviewed by Business Insider, MOHELA has failed to process over 460,000 applications for borrowers on income-driven repayment plans, preventing those borrowers from accessing more affordable <keyword id="23618291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monthly-payments" source="keywords">monthly payments</keyword>. The department also said Mohela had failed to stop capitalizing interest on borrowers' accounts, incorrectly marked some borrowers for negative credit reporting, and failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. "The Department continues to take swift action in response to errors that cause confusion or unnecessary difficulty for borrowers," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told BI in a statement. "<keyword id="23618292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federal-student-aid" source="keywords">Federal Student Aid</keyword> has determined, through its oversight of federal <keyword id="21652556" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="student-loan" source="keywords">student loan</keyword> servicers, that MOHELA has not consistently met the Department's standards for serving borrowers. MOHELA's continued challenges have resulted in less-than-satisfactory quality of servicing for borrowers." The Education Department requested that MOHELA provide a "corrective action plan" within 10 business days, Cardona said, along with weekly meetings with Federal Student Aid to review the servicer's performance . In the meantime, the department will not assign new borrower accounts to MOHELA until it can demonstrate that it can properly serve borrowers, which could impact the servicer's revenue. A Mohela spokesperson told BI that the servicer "is surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication" after the Education Department recently gave it new borrower accounts. "As one of FSA's critical partners and contractors, MOHELA has and will continue to work closely with FSA," the spokesperson said. Since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-repayment-issues-debt-relief-broken-industry-2023-9">student-loan payments resumed last October</a> after an over three-year pause, MOHELA has been under scrutiny from the Education Department, lawmakers, and advocates over its handling of borrowers' accounts. It was the first servicer to receive a punishment from the department last year — on October 30, 2023, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-company-mohela-late-statements-borrowers-biden-withholding-pay-2023-10">withheld $7.2 million in pay from MOHELA</a> over its failure to deliver on-time billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers. This is the second time Mohela has faced changes to the accounts it manages.In April, the Education Department transferred over 1 million borrowers to new servicers to allow for borrowers to have "the best service." This is the second penalty MOHELA has faced this year.In January, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-missing-billing-statements-servicers-punishment-nelnet-mohela-2024-1">withheld pay from the remaining three major federal servicers</a> over failure to deliver on-time billing statements to borrowers. Still, MOHELA has remained in the spotlight as borrowers have continued to report challenges with the servicer, prompting Sen. Elizabeth Warren to hold a hearing in April over the servicer's performance and later calling for the Education Department to consider terminating the servicer's contract altogether. 'We've organized, we've held hearings, we've done everything possible to hold these student loan servicers accountable for their misconduct," Warren <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-fire-their-servicer-elizabeth-warren-mohela-navient-2024-9">previously told BI</a>. "And it's beginning to bite. Last year, the department released <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-bad-customer-service-education-department-oversight-repayment-2023-11">an accountability framework</a> that outlined enforcement actions it would take over servicers who failed to meet their obligations. It's unclear what action the department will take next over MOHELA if it does not correct its actions. Correction: October 18, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated one of the Education Department's accusations against Mohela. The department said the company had failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. The story was also updated to clarify who the Mohela spokesperson said was "surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication." It was Mohela, not the Education Department.

A major student-loan company is being punished for preventing over 460,000 borrowers from accessing cheaper monthly payments

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After college, I entered the workforce and enrolled in a Master's program five years later.</li><li>Waiting for grad school helped me get a handle on my finances and gain valuable experience.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/graduate-school-masters-mba-college-regret-2024-7">Graduate school</a> wasn't my backup plan. It wasn't my plan at all.I wanted to graduate from college as quickly as possible to save money. However, during a meeting with a writing professor in my penultimate semester, my plans changed. He suggested applying to a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/masters-degree-rely-parents-financial-support-nyc-2024-7">Master's program</a>.His one piece of advice? Make sure that I don't incur more debt. Since many Master's programs aren't fully funded, my search narrowed. Heeding his advice, I researched only a few programs that fit that criteria. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/graduating-college-ceremony-high-school-pandemic-virtual-2024-5">After graduation</a>, I applied to one program but wasn't accepted. So I threw myself into work, and the years whipped by.After a half-decade of working in a profession that furthered other people's dreams, I realized I had to start putting myself first. For me, that meant advancing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-of-five-cant-afford-paying-college-kids-2024-9">my education</a> once again.I ended up going to a fully funded Master's program five years after graduating from college, and it was the best decision I made.<h2 id="05eef598-f3c3-447d-9805-a5491bce561f">Having real-world experience helped me operate at a higher level</h2>I enrolled in an MFA program, where I wrote a lot and often drew from my upbringing.Though I had many defining, rich memories as a child and young person, waiting until I was in my 20s to go to graduate school allowed me to draw upon more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/havent-owned-car-entire-adult-life-saved-money-2024-8">adult life experiences</a>.Continuing to work and build my career helped shape my background and gave me new perspectives I didn't immediately have after graduating college.<h2 id="34610a1f-1430-474a-85e5-bb096e050959">Waiting helped improve my time management</h2>Since my graduate school program met at night, I continued to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-seeker-applied-more-than-2000-roles-2024-9">work full-time</a>. If I had gone immediately to grad school from undergrad, where I worked multiple part-time jobs, I probably would have continued to cobble together my income through various jobs, freelance gigs, and side hustles.But having a full-time job with benefits allowed me to have a consistent schedule to work around. That reliability allowed me to plan my work and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manage-school-calendar-pdf-with-ai-google-chatgpt-2024-8">academic calendar</a> in a way that helped me establish a routine. It became a foundation for my success.<h2 id="4f67e9cf-7b56-49d3-ba5b-0307c69e07c8">My finances were more consistent than they were in my early 20s</h2>Since I had been working full-time for about half a decade by the time I enrolled in graduate school, I was able to have a small safety net. That <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weekend-side-hustles-try-extra-cash-2024-9">extra money</a> went to buying books and the extra bus rides I had to take to get to my school several times a week for classes and other events.Working full-time also allowed me to make more than the minimum payments required for my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/student-loans/how-to-pay-off-student-loan-debt-fast">student loan repayments</a> from my undergraduate degree. A nice bonus to graduate school was that my student loans could be deferred, which meant I could keep saving to repay them without the pressure of having to make a payment.<h2 id="d140ac8d-8df6-46db-9184-0d49b87ed80e">More time meant more opportunities to hone academic skills</h2>To prepare for graduate school, I studied for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-prepare-excel-online-gre-test-from-home-teachers-experts">the GRE</a>. Even though the program I chose didn't ultimately require them, the studying I did helped me revisit some educational foundations.Also, since I had time off from the academic rigor of undergrad, I was able to recharge a bit before diving into another <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-paying-private-school-wont-pay-college-2024-7">academic setting</a> immediately. This time off helped me get excited about learning and ready to tackle education again in a thorough, more meaningful way.<h2 id="8bf18534-456c-4403-9c55-b02a8c79bd8e">The 'real world' gave me deep gratitude for learning spaces</h2>Working full-time in my field was very intense and time-consuming. Since I was salaried, I often worked unpaid overtime. Graduate school actually gave me a valid way to put up more boundaries for a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-work-life-balance-advice-boss-lessons-job-2024-1">work-life balance</a>.Ultimately, attending graduate school was a true honor, and it felt like a respite from the hectic demands of my day job. Graduate school was about making work that I was proud of, which was a nice change in my life. In a way, it helped me become my own boss.

I waited 5 years after undergrad to enroll in graduate school. Waiting made me a better student.

Universities and <keyword id="20257650" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="higher-education-institutions" source="keywords">higher education institutions</keyword> in India can now admit students twice a year similar to the admission process followed by universities abroad, according to the <keyword id="19932585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="University-Grants-Commission" source="keywords">University Grants Commission</keyword> (UGC) Chairman Jagadeesh Kumar. The two admission cycles will be July-August and January-February from the 2024-25 academic session. "If <keyword id="21269142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-universities" source="keywords">Indian universities</keyword> can offer admission twice a year, it will benefit many students. Such as those who missed admission to a university in the July/August session due to a delay in the announcement of board results, health issues, or personal reasons. Biannual university admissions will help students maintain motivation since they do not have to wait one full year to be admitted if they miss admission in the current cycle," UGC Chairman Kumar said on Tuesday. Currently, UGC Regulations allow the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to admit students in one academic session in a year starting in July/August. An 'Academic session' is twelve months, beginning in July/August. Indian HEIs, therefore, follow the academic session that begins in July-August and ends in May-June. UGC had decided in its 571st commission held on 25 July 2023 to permit <keyword id="22014108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biannual-admissions" source="keywords">biannual admissions</keyword> under Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Online modes in January and July during an academic year. As per the information furnished by the HEIs on the UGC DEB portal, in addition to a total of 19,73,056 students were enrolled in July 2022 and an additional 4,28,854 students joined in January 2023 in ODL and online programs. Considering the tremendous response and interest from the students in ODL and online programs in biannual admissions, in its meeting held on May 15 this year the UGC took a policy decision to allow Higher Education Institutions who offer programs in regular mode to admit students twice in a year, either in January/February or July/August from the coming academic year, the UGC chairman said. Those institutions that have the required infrastructure and teaching faculty can utilize the opportunity to admit students biannually. Offering biannual admissions is not mandatory for the HEIs; it is the flexibility that UGC provides to the HEIs who want to increase their student intake and offer new programmes in emerging areas. To be able to admit students twice a year, HEIs must make suitable amendments to their institutional regulations. UGC Chairman Kumar said, "With biannual admissions in place, Industries can also do their <keyword id="22014800" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="campus-recruitment" source="keywords">campus recruitment</keyword> twice a year, improving employment opportunities for the graduates." Biannual admissions will also enable the HEIs to plan their resource distribution, such as faculty, labs, classrooms and support services, more efficiently, resulting in a better functional flow within the university, he said. Noting that Universities worldwide already follow a biannual admission system, he said that if Indian institutions adopt the biannual admission cycle, they can enhance their international collaborations and student exchanges. "As a result, our global competitiveness will improve, and we will align with the global educational standards," the UGC Chairman said. Biannual admissions can substantially increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio and make India a 'Global Study Destination' as envisioned in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, he said. Further, Kumar said that if HEIs adopt biannual admissions, they need to work on administrative intricacies, good planning for increased use of available resources, and providing seamless support systems for the smooth transition of students admitted at dissimilar times of the year. "HEIs can maximize the usefulness of biannual admissions only when they sufficiently prepare the faculty members, staff and students for the transition" SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ios-18-announced-with-apple-intelligence-improved-privacy-controls-customisable-home-screen-and-more/articleshow/110883233.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ios-18-announced-with-apple-intelligence-improved-privacy-controls-customisable-home-screen-and-more/articleshow/110883233.cms" target="_blank">iOS 18 announced with Apple Intelligence, improved privacy controls, customisable home screen and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-vision-pro-to-be-available-in-nine-new-countries-but-india-is-not-one-of-them/articleshow/110883439.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-vision-pro-to-be-available-in-nine-new-countries-but-india-is-not-one-of-them/articleshow/110883439.cms" target="_blank">Apple Vision Pro to be available in nine new countries, but India is not one of them</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/ixigo-ipo-now-open-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/110867238.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/ixigo-ipo-now-open-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/110867238.cms" target="_blank">Ixigo IPO now open – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a>

Universities in India can now admit students twice a year on lines of foreign varsities: UGC chairman

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he would cut student debt by 20% next year.</li><li>The move aims to boost "intergenerational equity" amid Labor's tight election race.</li></ul>The Australian government on Sunday announced a sweeping plan to forgive 20% of student debt <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/australia-student-debt-millennial-loan-payments-2023-6">for around 3 million Australians</a>.The move, which takes effect in June next year if the current Labor government stays in power, would erase around $10.5 billion worth of debt."This will help everyone with a student debt right now, whilst we work hard to deliver a better deal for every student in the years ahead," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday.The government said that the changes would mean the average graduate with a loan of $18,200 would have $3,642 wiped from their bill.The remaining debt would be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-loan-program/making-help-and-student-loan-repayments-fairer">repaid under a new </a>scheme, with a minimum repayment threshold of $44,200.The debt relief is designed to promote "intergenerational equity," Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Radio on Monday, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-02/australia-plans-10-5-billion-in-student-debt-cuts-to-ease-costs?srnd=israel-hamas-war&amp;embedded-checkout=true">Bloomberg</a>."We know that 80% of the children who are in primary school today will need either a university degree or a Technical and Further Education qualification, not as an added bonus for their employment, but as a precondition to getting a job because of the changes that are happening in the economy."It is likely also designed to boost support for the Labor government, which has been waning due to high inflation, high costs of living, and a housing shortage. A federal election is expected in May 2025.However, not everyone is convinced it's the right move.Andrew Norton, a Professor in the Practice of higher education policy at the Australian National University, said future debt should also be reduced."The last few years have highlighted how stressful and damaging high levels of student debt can be for younger Australians," he wrote in <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/albanese-flags-radical-changes-to-student-debt-with-a-20-overall-cut-and-drop-in-payment-rates-242740">The Conversation.</a>"However, the Albanese government's plan comes with a high price tag and the priorities may not be entirely right," he added."Managing future debt, such as by reversing fee hikes <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/the-universities-accord-should-scrap-job-ready-graduates-and-create-a-new-multi-rate-system-for-student-fees-203910">under the Job-ready Graduates program</a>, is as important as reducing old debt."Richard Holden, a professor of economics at the University of New South Wales, said the changes would not ease students' cost-of-living pressures."It doesn't feel like it moves the needle," he told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-04/economic-impact-of-hecs-repayment-debt-reduction/104557004">ABC News</a>. "It's not like taking 20% off someone's mortgage or car loan, so I don't see it having a big effect."In the US, the average student loan balance is around $38,000.However, Biden's efforts to grant broad student loan relief have hit several stumbling blocks. The administration has introduced incremental batches of relief over the past few years.As Business Insider's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-more-borrowers-approved-debt-cancellation-biden-2024-10">Ayelet Sheffey reported,</a> Biden's second attempt at broader student-loan forgiveness <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-first-lawsuit-broad-debt-cancellation-biden-relief-2024-9">is stalled in court.</a>Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have focused mainly on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-deportation-immigration-policy-election-housing-home-prices-construction-costs-2024-10">immigration</a>, taxes, and the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-preview-consumer-outlook-how-trump-harris-housing-taxes-2024-11">economy</a> during their presidential campaigns, likely due to multiple polls indicating a downturn in interest on the issue.Biden's Education Department is continuing to work on debt relief proposals; if finalized, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-plan-borrowers-facing-financial-hardship-education-department-2024-10">the latest one</a> would benefit 8 million borrowers facing hardship.

Australia announced a sweeping plan to forgive 20% of student debt

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As college tuition fees soar, more American students are going abroad.</li><li>Beyond cheaper tuition, college abroad can offer multiple benefits, including exposure to new cultures.</li></ul>When it was time for Liza Jean Miezejeski to start thinking about college, she couldn't stop worrying about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/professor-student-loan-debt-suddenly-forgiven-2024-8">student debt</a>."Every time I looked, there were schools that seemed interesting, but none that was worth going into debt for," she told Business Insider.One day, while in the car with her mom, she heard on the radio that Americans were moving to Germany for free education. It sounded like a dream to her: a chance to live abroad and earn an affordable college degree.Miezejeski, then a sophomore at a Connecticut high school, started to look into it seriously. She ended up <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-gen-z-college-europe-university-abroad-prague-brussels-affordable-2024-8">attending a university in Prague</a> and then moved to Brussels for graduate school. She graduated from both schools with no debt.Miezejeski is not alone. Like her, more American students are looking abroad to complete their college education.While<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyu-student-hated-study-abroad-semester-florence-italy-2023-3"> study abroad</a> programs — which allow students to spend a semester or a year overseas — are nothing new, completing a full degree outside the US has been gaining popularity.A representative for the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit exchange organization based in New York, told BI the number of US-based students who went to college abroad has increased in the last year. "Most US colleges and universities anticipate increased or stable student participation in study abroad in the forthcoming 2024/25 academic year," the representative said. They said this includes students in non-exchange programs and those pursuing degrees overseas.James Edge, the owner of Beyond the States, a platform that helps students apply to bachelor's and master's programs abroad, said he's seen a 5 to 10% increase in students pursuing degrees abroad each year since he joined the company three years ago.Greg Kaplan, a private college admissions counselor and the author of "Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting Into Highly Selective Colleges," said interest has increased tenfold over the past six years. "Six years ago, if we had one student applying abroad, it was interesting," he said. Now, out of the 350 high school students his company works with yearly, 10 to 20% apply to college abroad, he said.There are several reasons for this, from an interest in specific programs to a desire to explore the world. But above all, experts and students alike have echoed the same sentiment: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-tuition-costs-too-much-make-degrees-matter-less-jobs-2023-9">college in America is too expensive</a>.<h2 id="8e99aa2f-2e09-4281-86df-d39f0ee659f3">The skyrocketing prices of college in the US</h2>According to the<a target="_blank" href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Search?query=college%20tuition&amp;query2=college%20tuition&amp;resultType=all&amp;page=1&amp;sortBy=relevance&amp;overlayDigestTableId=202707"> National Center for Education Statistics</a>, students in the US spent an average of $28,297 a year — or around $113,188 for a four-year program — on tuition and required fees at public out-of-state schools in the academic year of 2022 to 2023.These fees have risen over the years. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/see-20-years-of-tuition-growth-at-national-universities">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a> found that among the 436 colleges in its annual rankings, out-of-state tuition fees at public universities have risen by around 32% over two decades after adjustments for inflation. The same report showed that in-state tuition fees at public universities have grown by 45%.And <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-us-universities-wildly-expensive-education-tuition-fees-america-2024-3">private colleges</a> in the US can cost more than twice that much. Tuition this year at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/financial-aid/undergraduate/costs/budget-costs.htm">Pepperdine University</a> in Malibu, which is ranked as one of the most expensive schools in the country, is $65,990."That sticker shock is very potent for families," said Robert Harry, an associate director of college counseling at Kent School, a boarding school in Connecticut.Harry estimates that in his 15 years of experience, the number of kids who went abroad for college increased from around 1% of any given high school class to as much as 5 or 10% of a class.<h2 id="da752867-c83d-49cb-9f93-4e420a8dea12">Many have their eyes set on Europe</h2>College in Europe has become an attractive alternative. For one, tuition is generally cheaper. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://beyondthestates.com/">Beyond the States</a> lists the average tuition fee for European bachelor's programs as $7,390 a year for international students. The average is based on calculations from its database of 12,600 English-taught bachelor's programs in Europe. In some countries, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-germany-from-us-school-almost-deported-dont-regret-2023-11">Germany, public college education is free</a>, even for international students.Many European university degrees often take three years to complete, so it's also one less year of college tuition to pay for. "You get an extra year of your life back," Edge said.American students often turn to English-speaking destinations like the UK and Ireland for their education abroad. However, college advisors said other European and Asian countries, like the Netherlands and Japan, that offer English-language programs are also gaining popularity.<h2 id="c8d0dc93-f262-4e4f-96d1-cf7969c1161f">The rise in interest comes as US applications become more competitive</h2><div type="image" title="A girl and her brother on a bridge in Toulouse, France" height="900" width="1200" msid="114566917" hostid="261" sizebytes="90356"></div>In 2019, Jacob Zeidberg <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-couple-sent-both-kids-college-europe-france-spain-cost-2024-7">applied to almost 30 schools</a> in the US. He was waitlisted or rejected from all of them.A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.commonapp.org/files/FY_application_trends_end_season_report_23-24.pdf">2024 report from Common App,</a> a college application platform, showed that application volume has grown by 171% since the 2014-15 academic year. The number of applications per applicant has risen by 46% in the same timeframe, now totaling 6.65 applications per person."When the Common App became ubiquitous, it started to get <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-competitive-than-ever-get-into-college-admissions-2024-1">really hard to get into American institutions</a> just because it's so much easier to apply to so many more of them," Harry said.It's pushed some parents and students to look elsewhere.For many, Europe is the answer. "Even if you haven't done all the extracurriculars, or if you haven't taken the SATs, it is much easier to get accepted to school in Europe because the way they do admissions is slightly different," Edge, owner of Beyond the States, said.For example, he said they may focus more on the student's academic strengths than on standardized tests.Zeidberg eventually applied to Toulouse Business School in France. He said the application process was smooth and efficient, and he was accepted two weeks later."It was like night and day," his mom, Jennifer Zeidberg, told BI.<h2 id="ea928511-b08c-486a-a718-951d6f05e28a">The benefits of college abroad go beyond cost</h2>In many US colleges, students declare a major after their freshman year. Many colleges outside the US are more specialized.That system appeals to many people who are sure of their interests. "If you are definitely a math person, knowing that you can do three or four years of math and never have to write another English essay — it's intriguing for people," Harry said.Scarlett Kiaras-Attari, who grew up in Kentucky and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-student-romanticized-uk-edinburgh-scotland-oxford-college-university-london-2024-8">moved to Scotland in 2018</a> for undergrad, was one of them. "I was so interested in medieval history and Classics," she told BI. "I just knew that there was no other place that I had applied to that was really going to capture that the way that I thought Edinburgh could."<div type="image" title="A girl poses in front of Oxford University" height="2268" width="3024" msid="114566921" hostid="261" sizebytes="556072"></div>Some students also seek niche fields that can only be found abroad. Kaplan, for example, had a student who turned down programs in the US because he wanted more exposure to Formula 1 racing, which is primarily rooted in Europe. He ended up studying motorsports engineering at Oxford.For many, being able to travel easily is also a huge plus."You can just pop on a train and go right next door to Portugal or France, for example. There's just so much more opportunities for cultural engagement," said Edge.<h2 id="47862e7c-8637-4709-bca9-9464a643493b">Important considerations</h2>Although tuition fees are usually lower, college advisors said that students going abroad have to consider other costs, such as visas, daily expenditures, rent, and flights back home.They should also consider the emotional impact of moving abroad.<div type="image" title="A girl posing in front of a castle in Germany" height="903" width="1204" msid="114566918" hostid="261" sizebytes="234730"></div>Amanda Mrozek, who withdrew from Central Michigan University in her third year and moved to Germany to get her degree in 2021, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-moving-germany-college-university-things-to-know-2024-7">struggled with cultural differences</a>.For example, her college in Germany lacked school spirit and a sports culture, she said. Most students also lived off-campus and went straight home after class instead of hanging out on campus."It's just not fun," she previously told BI. "I understand people will say, 'You're supposed to be learning.' But at least for me, I can learn better when I'm enjoying something about it."Harry often tells <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guide-moving-abroad-for-college-according-to-university-advisors-diploma-2024-9">students</a> they won't have a typical American college experience abroad and that they will often be in the minority of kids who go abroad."Recognize that your experience is going to be a bit different, but it doesn't mean it's any less rich or rewarding," he said.<div type="image" title="Girl sits by the window with her book in Italy" height="1886" width="2515" msid="114566920" hostid="261" sizebytes="312546"></div>In the years since graduating from high school, Miezejeski only knows of three other high school classmates who left the US: one went to Canada, and two others went to the Netherlands and Italy to study. But most of them stayed in Connecticut or studied in nearby cities like Boston and New York. Where she's from, it's not common to go abroad, but it's a slow trend, she said.Since completing her degree in 2021, she hasn't looked back.She decided to stay in Europe and pursue a master's degree in Brussels. Her master's program was one year long and cost around $4,700 — almost a fifth of what she would have paid if she had pursued a master's at the University of Connecticut, a college in her state, based on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://bursar.uconn.edu/tuition-fees/graduate/2024-2025/">university's website</a>.More importantly, Miezejeski gained experiences money can't buy."I have friends now all over the world," she said. "I've learned about all their cultures, how they do things and their languages. I've met incredible people and learned so much. The learning does not stop."

College in the US was too expensive, so these students opted for Europe

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Every school year, I came out to my college students and was usually accepted.</li><li>But coming out was mentally taxing, so I'm not coming out to my students this year.</li></ul>My voice trembled, and my heart pounded as I stood before the class of about 30 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-student-studying-abroad-classmates-taking-luxury-trips-2024-4">college students</a> on the first day of English Composition 101."I didn't get to read many LGBTQ+ authors growing up," I said. Then, taking a deep breath, I took the plunge: "As a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/straight-passing-woman-come-out-all-the-time-2024-7">queer person</a> myself, I believe we need to see ourselves represented in books."When I taught 18-year-old <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-move-tasks-parents-forgetting-to-do-2024-8">college freshmen</a>, it felt like jumping off a cliff every time I came out to a new class — usually on the first day. I loved introducing the students to the acclaimed queer authors who helped me feel comfortable in my own skin when I was a teenager.The authors' names — Michael Cunningham, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Allison, and Alice Walker — are still sacred to me today.But now, I'm no longer coming out to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-shop-for-back-to-school-without-spending-tons-2024-8">my students</a> and still prioritizing their education.<h2 id="a9aea97e-a5a4-4d4f-829a-d00e4708f833">I felt freer as a queer educator, but it came at a price</h2>It was the early 2000s, and in many ways, it was a more welcoming environment for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-teachers-advised-against-talking-about-same-sex-partners-report-2022-8">LGBTQ+ teachers</a>.Still, when I taught college in New York state, queer teachers' freedom was new and fragile. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colleges-pay-best-for-their-cost-return-on-investment-roi-2023-4">Colleges and universities</a> have always tended to be more open for queer teachers than K-12 schools, but I was still scared to come out as an untenured teacher working with teens — many of whom were religious. There was always fear that I'd be punished for announcing who I am.Thankfully, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/refuse-come-out-family-friends-2024-8">coming out</a> was almost always positive. Students smiled or seemed immediately more relaxed. Only one or two tensed up or looked away, seeming uncomfortable. No one ever got up and left the room.After coming out each semester, I'd move on with my lesson, feeling vulnerable, relieved, and lighter.<h2 id="ea9fc80a-555b-43f6-821e-e8b118a06aa1">I no longer make coming-out announcements</h2>These days, I'm more comfortable in my skin as a queer person, so I don't feel the need to make a formal declaration at work anymore. The fear of retaliation takes too much out of me.But I still ensure my space is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/lgbtq-friendly-banking">queer-friendly</a>.Currently, I'm a school librarian serving elementary and middle school. Even among the youngest of students, I regularly encounter kids identifying as queer or trans. Some students even have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaning-into-my-queer-identity-changed-the-way-i-parent-2022-10">LGBTQ+ parents</a>. So, I still need to create a welcoming environment.My storytime and research lessons emphasize the acceptance of gender diversity. The stories also depict that love can take many shapes and forms. These lessons are also important for students with nontraditional family structures — such as those raised by a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/single-parent-loneliness-no-partner-202404">single parent</a> or living with grandparents.We read cute, silly, and wise picture books such as "Worm Love Worm" by J. J. Austrian and Mike Curato, where the characters are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nonbinary-fashion-gender-neutral-unisex-clothes-accessories-to-add-to-wardrobe-2023">gender-neutral</a>. In June, I showcase books like "Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Gay Pride Flag" by Rob Sanders and Steven Salerno. Throughout the month, I proudly showcase my progress pride flag in the middle school library and happily explain the symbolism of all the colors and patterns.Queer people are woven into the fabric of my teaching, but I've just chosen not to share who I am anymore to protect my own mental health.<h2 id="477a4732-ae33-4357-8c08-5dcc9f44dc91">Being an LGBTQ-inclusive teacher can save lives</h2>In 2022, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/">Trevor Project </a>found that 45% of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the last year. I feel responsible as an educator to help students grow and thrive — and not feel invisible or ashamed.This September, I will proudly display a copy of my favorite gender-expansive book, "Teo's Tutu" by Maryann Jacob Macia. And when a student asks me what the book is about, I'll say, "It's about learning to be happy in your own skin."I'll invite the students to reflect and connect. "What does being comfortable in your own skin mean to you?"When I started teaching, it felt great to say, "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/struggled-sexuality-college-queer-lgbtq-2023-6">I am queer</a>," out loud. But these days, I celebrate my queerness in my personal life and conserve my energy while I'm at school.

As an educator, I used to come out to my students every September. But I'm keeping my identity to myself this year.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Julie Maresco is a 34-year-old teacher and mother of two. </li><li>She's taught elementary school-aged children for 14 years in Maryland, New York, and Illinois.</li></ul>When I first heard that there had been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-sending-kids-private-school-keep-them-safe-from-shootings-2023-5">another school shooting</a>, my initial reaction, other than grief for the lives lost, was confusion. As a teacher of 14 years, I just <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-doesnt-like-school-shootings-are-fact-of-life-2024-9">can't believe school shootings have become so normalized</a>.When I first started teaching in Montgomery County, Maryland, we had a couple of instances of threats in the community that we had to shelter for. We made sure all children were in the classroom and closed our doors, but otherwise continued with our normal routines. These had nothing to do with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dad-researched-school-shooting-survival-shares-tips-for-parents-2023-3">suspected school shooters</a>, though.We also ran <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/viral-tiktok-about-school-shooting-is-helpful-security-expert-says-2023-6">drills for lockdowns</a> in case a threat to the school had entered the premises. You'd shut and lock your door, close the blinds, turn off lights, and crouch in a corner with all the kids out of sight from any windows or doors.I remember <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-pulled-kid-out-of-school-because-active-shooter-drills-2022-12">running drills for both shelters and lockdowns</a>, but the children and I didn't feel scared when doing them. We didn't ever actually expect that a drill could become a reality.<h2 id="4ab4affc-5db4-4946-bcdd-33919892f576">Threats feel much more real now</h2>After three years of teaching at that school, I spent years teaching in Chicago and New York City. Five years ago, I came back to Montgomery County, and since then, the threat of a school shooter feels much more real.We've heard about shootings consistently enough to make them feel like it could actually happen in our school. Every drill doesn't just feel like a drill anymore. You have to shake the trauma off after each one.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-shares-what-its-raising-child-in-the-lockdown-generation-2023-2">We do lockdown drills</a> about four times each school year. In the mornings, we'll be informed there will be a drill later in the day. When I first started out, it was always done without warning, but because it has recently caused so much worry, we're warned what time they'll happen.I'll inform the kids, who this year are mostly 9-year-olds, and tell them exactly what they'll do. I warn them to be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-teacher-and-mom-shares-toll-from-school-shootings-2023-3">absolutely silent even for the drill</a>, saying that if it were the real thing, just the slightest whisper might invite a shooter into our classroom.<h2 id="0378c47a-9392-414d-9038-b3d3f88efd37">Kids have a lot of questions</h2>Some of the children take the drills light-heartedly. Others are very quiet, and I can tell they're worried.Once the drill finishes, I debrief with the class, letting them ask me questions and tell me how they feel. This debrief used to be short, but now, kids always have lots of questions.Some of the most common ones are: How would someone get into the school? Why would someone want to hurt us? What if they see or hear us? What if I get stuck in the bathroom or the nurse's office when the lockdown has already happened?These drills, although just practice, become more of a reality with every school shooting we hear about.I answer each question of theirs as honestly as possible because while I don't want to scare them unnecessarily, both they and I know that a school shooter in our building is definitely a risk.But I try to lighten the mood."They'll have to get through Mrs. Maresco, so they'll never get into our room," I tell them. "I'll take them out before they get to you."It's true. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-school-teacher-taking-bullet-not-in-my-contract-2024-9">I would protect the children in my class</a> as if they were my own. I'd put myself in front of them at any cost. I'm a mama bear for each class I teach, and I want children to know they are safe in my care.<h2 id="17a0fbc0-8148-4046-95fa-562d7ccd432c">I'm also a mom of 2</h2>But I don't want to have to do that because I have two little girls who are waiting for their mom to come home to them at the end of my workday.I don't want to take down someone who has a gun because I don't want to be the teacher who was in the news last week, who tried to help, and now can't go home to his kids. But I might have to.I've heard people raise concerns that the drills traumatize children. They might be annoyed by their frequency and their impact on the kids, especially young ones.But drills aren't where we should direct our irritation. If nothing is going to change, drills are our only option as teachers to keep ourselves and our students safe. Our frustration should be directed at the fact that this issue hasn't gone away.

I've been an elementary school teacher for 14 years. I would die for my students, but I don't want to.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eton College is swapping out first year student's smartphones for Nokias.</li><li>The policy comes as the boarding school is trying to cope with an increasingly digital world for students.</li></ul>Eton College, one of the world's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eton-college-exclusive-boarding-school-boris-johnson-prince-william-photos-2019-7">most prestigious boarding schools,</a> is planning to ban smartphones for its incoming first-year students and replace these with old-school Nokia phones instead, a spokesperson for the school confirmed to Business Insider.The new policy comes as the UK-based school grapples with managing student's educations alongside technological developments."Eton routinely reviews our mobile phone and devices policy to balance the benefits and challenges that technology brings to schools," a spokesperson told BI."From September those joining in Year 9 will receive a 'brick' phone for use outside the school day, as well as a School-issued iPad to support academic study. Age-appropriate controls remain in place for other year groups," they added.Eton College is an exclusive boarding school located outside London, near Windsor. <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/prince-william">Prince William</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/prince-harry">Prince Harry</a>, Tom Hiddleston, and Eddie Redmayne are among its best-known alumni.The school is also known for educating several future <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/prime-minister">prime ministers</a>, including <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/david-cameron">David Cameron</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-book-deal-memoir-prime-minister-value-2023-1">Boris Johnson</a>.The new policy goes a step further than Eton's previous rules on smartphones.In 2018, it brought in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jun/13/eton-college-pupils-told-to-hand-over-their-mobile-phones-at-night">policy</a> that required first-year students to hand over their smartphones overnight."<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-dumb-phones-gain-popularity-us-limit-screen-time-2023-3">Dumb phones</a>," or "brick phones," allow people to make calls and send messages but not access the internet.There has been a resurgence in the popularity of these devices in recent years, partly driven by young people involved in emerging movements to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dumb-phones-brands-gen-z-is-buying-reduce-screen-time-2023-5#nokia-2780-4">disconnect from social media</a>.

You Searched For "Student of the Year" and got 10 results

A millennial with a doctoral degree and over $250k in student loan debt says she's been looking for a job for 4 years. She wishes she prioritized work experience over education.

Jacob Zinkula

I've been a teacher for 27 years. When ChatGPT first came out, I was terrified; now, I let my students use it to write essays.

Charissa Cheong

A major student-loan company is being punished for preventing over 460,000 borrowers from accessing cheaper monthly payments

Ayelet Sheffey

I waited 5 years after undergrad to enroll in graduate school. Waiting made me a better student.

Vanessa Ogle

Universities in India can now admit students twice a year on lines of foreign varsities: UGC chairman

ANI

Australia announced a sweeping plan to forgive 20% of student debt

Hannah Abraham

College in the US was too expensive, so these students opted for Europe

Erin Liam

As an educator, I used to come out to my students every September. But I'm keeping my identity to myself this year.

Jess deCourcy Hinds

I've been an elementary school teacher for 14 years. I would die for my students, but I don't want to.

Lauren Crosby Medlicott

Eton College bans smartphones for first-year students, gifting them with Nokia 'brick' phones instead

Alexandra Bacon

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides