College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

College affordability is a significant factor in student access, retention, and completion. Tuition and fee rates are a major component of affordability, as is the availability of financial aid programs from federal, state, institutional and private sources. Strategically designed approaches to college affordability can better assist families in…

Veterans Affairs (VA) offers education benefits to veterans with disabilities through the GI Bill, VA's largest education program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), which helps veterans with service-connected disabilities re-enter the workforce. Each offers distinct features that may better serve veterans depending on their…

To blame was a formula in the new GI Bill that provides funding equivalent to the highest-priced postsecondary undergraduate institution in the state. Because California's public schools have traditionally charged "fees" for services and not traditional tuition, many veterans attempting to attend California colleges were excluded from…

When the new GI Bill was signed into law last summer, advocates said its education benefits would significantly expand veterans' higher-education options. Beneficiaries would receive substantially more money than they did under older programs, enough to pay for the most expensive public institution in their state instead of only covering…

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or Post-9/11 GI Bill, becomes effective August 1, 2009. The bill covers in-state graduate and undergraduate fees and vocational and technical training for veterans who served after September 10, 2001. Benefits are available for up to 36 months--equivalent to four academic years--and…

As the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act (popularly known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Chapter 33) begins its second academic year of operation, changes loom on the horizon. While this is no surprise to those who know the history of the original GI Bill, some of the changes will have considerable impact not only on veteran students, but…

In its first hundred days, the Obama administration demonstrated a strong commitment to expanding access to higher education. The economic stimulus package, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), increased funding for the Pell Grant program and over the next two years, the maximum award will grow to $5,550 in 2010-2011--the…

This publication is the 11th edition of a guide for students seeking financial assistance to attend post high school institutions in Illinois. The first of six chapters reproduces a booklet, titled "Need a Lift?", on obtaining financial aid for higher education and put out by the American Legion. This chapter provides general…