Under federal rule, colleges must leave grads better off or lose financial aid
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
New federal rule cuts off financial aid to college programs whose graduates earn less than non-graduates.
The U.S. Department of Education's 'do no harm' rule, from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will cut off federal student loans to undergraduate programs whose graduates earn less than typical high school graduates and graduate programs whose graduates earn less than bachelor's-degree holders. The Education Department estimates that about 800,000 students attend programs likely to fail, concentrated in for-profit schools, certificate programs like cosmetology, and some arts and early childhood education programs. Implementation begins in 2026-2027, with potential cutoffs starting in 2028-2029. Critics worry it devalues arts education and non-pecuniary outcomes.
What commenters are saying
Commenters broadly support the rule, viewing it as overdue accountability for degree mills and unchecked tuition inflation. Several argue that arts and liberal arts programs should rely on private funding rather than federal loans. A correction notes Trump University was never eligible for federal aid. A secondary debate questions why student loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy; commenters point out that making them dischargeable would raise interest rates or shift risk to colleges, while others argue that the current system traps borrowers in debt without providing value.