Just when it looked like the job market was going to rebound, recent unemployment numbers revealed a disappointing reality.

Recent economic research suggests that colleges siphon off a significant portion of federal education aid rather than lowering costs to students

Many students choose a college based on program offerings, cost, and distance from home, but they may be overlooking a vital piece of information: the school's graduation rate.

In the latest AEI Education Outlook, visiting scholar Mark Schneider addresses these questions and provides parents with valuable information on what to look for in finding the highest performing public schools in the district for their children.

The number of schools ranked highly in guides such as Barron's Profiles of American Colleges is increasing, without any evidence that these schools' instructional quality is also increasing. Applicants and their families should be wary of letting these rankings serve as the main criteria in their college decisions.

An AEI survey found that when asked to think of the cost for a low-income student, a majority of parents do recognize a distinction between sticker price and “net price after aid.” Yet, low-income parents often tend to overestimate the net price of college attendance.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum caused a stir last month when he labeled college campuses "indoctrination mills" that enforce a strict adherence to "politically correct left doctrine." For conservatives, Mr. Santorum might as well have called the sky blue. But from the way liberal pundits pounced on his remarks, you'd think he had said something profoundly indecent.

American Enterprise Institute (AEI) education expert Andrew P. Kelly's influential research on increasing transparency has covered the truth behind higher education disclosure laws, the real price of college, and the impact of information on choice in higher education.