This week’s news in college and money: November 14, 2025

Students and families face new financial pressures, unclear admissions signals, and changing federal rules that affect how much college costs and how much they may need to borrow.

Here’s a quick look at the most important developments shaping higher education and student finance this week on November 14, 2025.

🎓 Top headlines at a glance

• UC San Diego is raising alarms about freshmen’s math readiness in a world full of optional tests and grade inflation.
• A new analysis shows large groups of students shocked by hidden college expenses.
• Net tuition rises again for 2025-2026, even with discounts.
• Oversight of accreditation becomes more political.

• Negotiated rulemaking highlights key differences between graduate and professional programs.

1. UC San Diego: Incoming freshmen miss the foundations of middle school math

A new UC San Diego Senate Administration report finds just that Nearly one in eight Incoming freshmen are placed in mathematics levels Under high school standardsalthough many arrived with strong GPAs and advanced coursework. The results indicate that there are gaps between high school grading practices and actual academic preparation, issues that complicate first-year academic placement and the time needed to earn a degree.

➡️ impact: Colleges rely on transcripts that may not reflect academic preparation. Poor preparation may lead to extra courses, additional tuition, delayed graduation, or even dropping out – all of which drive up the cost of college.

2. “Hidden” college costs are hitting first-generation and low-income students the hardest

new Inside Higher Education Analysis I just found it 27% of university students Fully understand their college’s cost of attendance (COA). The report shows this Hidden expenses (including supplies, off-campus housing, transportation, and extracurriculars) disproportionately affect first-generation, parents, and international students. Many colleges downplay these expenses or exclude them from public disclosures. This is in line with a study conducted last year that found COAs were down $3,350 on average.

➡️ impact: Families planning around reported school COA numbers may be insufficient. Students juggling work, child care, or housing insecurity are most at risk of running out of money before completing a degree.

3. An increase in net tuition fees paid by students in the period 2025-2026

According to The College Board’s annual trends report in college pricing and student aidStudents pay A little more pocketable For the academic year 2025-26. Despite the widespread use of tuition discounts at private colleges and government aid programs on the public, on average Net tuition and fees increased In both public and non-profit institutions for four years.

➡️ impact: Published tuition is not the whole story, and even with grants and discounts, families still face higher real costs. Early planning and comparing net price calculators remains essential.

4.Oversight of accreditation becomes political – with real implications for student aid

Stateline reports American university accreditation (once a quiet, technical process) has become more politically charged. The current administration has pushed for changes that would shift power toward states and away from long-time regional accreditors. Colleges warn that changing expectations could affect their status, which determines whether students can access federal aid.

➡️ impact: If a college loses accreditation or changes accreditors under pressure, students may face interruptions in aid, program recognition, transferability, and future employment paths. Families choosing a school should check whether the institution is audited.

5.Negotiated rulemaking: Graduate versus professional programs stands at the center of the new borrowing rules

With the conclusion of the Negotiated Rulemaking (NegReg) process, federal officials have finalized the definitions that distinguish graduate programs from professional programs. The classification is important because the new borrowing limits (which replace the old Grad PLUS loan) will set different limits depending on how the program is classified.

Professional degrees (such as law, medicine, dentistry, and some health science fields) haveBorrowing limits are higherwhile standard graduate programs face lower limits.

➡️ impact: Students entering master’s, doctoral, or professional tracks in 2026 and later will face different federal loan rules based on classification. Many may need private loans if their program has a “graduate” designation rather than “professional.”

Related reading: