2013 Investigative Reporting for Magazines/Weeklies Winner

“College Aid Advisors”

Judges’ Comments

“This was an extremely strong piece. It shed light on a problem few people knew about, while focusing on the hot topic of paying for college. The article was easy to follow, making it obvious that the reporter knew this material in and out and could write with true authority. The structure worked for me – highlighting the “bait” and the explaining “how to avoid this trap.” The quiz was especially well designed to help readers.”

“Now this is an investigative piece. The reporter clearly knows her stuff, has found a piece of the college-debt issue we didn’t know about and explained it in very good writing. Clark asks questions I didn’t even know I wanted to know the answer to — how do college loan advisers get ‘certified’? … The piece has tons of great data points that are easy to digest but, in some cases, scandalous. Well done.”