New Data Shows College Grads Make 98% More an Hour than High School Grads, Harvard’s Annual Senior Survey

It was a short holiday week for many, and as graduations and the start of summer breaks loom, families are switching into break-mode. Whether school is in session or not, it’s important to stay informed on happenings in college admissions and higher education. We like to make being up-to-date easy for busy (or even relaxing) families by compiling some of the most important stories from this past week.

Here are some of the biggest stories in higher education and college admissions from this past week:

• A New York Times Piece this week, “Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data Say” highlighted Labor Department statistics analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, which found that Americans with four-year college degrees made 98% more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree.

• Harvard University’s paper The Crimson released findings from its annual survey of graduating seniors. “The Class of 2014 By the Numbers” found that employed seniors have a median starting salary of between $50,000 and $69,999 and 17% of those surveyed said they had cheated in academics while at Harvard.

• There’s another celebrity with an Ivy League degree! Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, graduated from Brown University over the Memorial Day weekend.

• IvyWise team member Lindsay recounts what made her fall in love with Boston and her alma mater, Northeastern University.

• Harvard and MIT students say they have developed an email system that’s so secure it’s NSA-proof.

• Do you procrastinate on schoolwork? You’re not alone. In a survey by StudyMode, released this week, 87% of respondents said they procrastinate on school assignments. The top mode of distraction: 61% of all students surveyed said they watch TV or movies as a way to put off work. 

• Not attending your top-choice school? You can still make the most of your experience. After all, students should only apply to schools that are great-fits!

• Late on the college application process? Some schools are still accepting applications for this fall.

• Whether you’re going off to college this fall, or just going to a camp or program this summer with new people, making new friends can seem intimidating. Here are some things to keep in mind when meeting new people.

What do you think of the most recent college value findings? Are you surprised, or not surprised, that there's cheating at Ivy Legaue institutions? Tell us in the comments below!