The federal role in higher education has grown over the past two decades, and now a new administration has the opportunity to strengthen policies that support students and their colleges and universities. To help inform these decisions, the Urban Institute convened a bipartisan group of scholars and policy advisers to write a series of memos…

In the context of the recent efforts to arrive at a federal budget, articles abound in the popular media and trade publications debating both the value of Pell Grants and their rising cost to the U.S. government. Both pros and cons of the debate hold value. Pell Grants are what enable many low-income families to send their children to college and,…

This CD-ROM contains a simulated conversation between a counselor at the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Information Center and a student inquiring about financial assistance. The information pertains to the year from July 2003 through June 2004. Following an introductory track containing information about the contents of the CD,…

This CD-ROM, also available in audiotape format, contains a simulated telephone conversation between a counselor at the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Information Center and a student inquiring about financial assistance for the visually impaired. Following an introduction containing information about the contents, each track or…

This publication presents a basic summary of student financial assistance programs provided by the federal government and explains how to apply for them. It begins by reviewing sources of information about student aid. A general information section covers student eligibility, financial need, dependency status, applying, special circumstances,…

This CD-ROM contains a simulated conversation between a counselor at the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Information Center and a student inquiring about financial assistance. Following an introductory track providing contents information, each track contains a section answering a different question about federal student loans. The…

This Congressionally requested memorandum compares the Pell Grant provisions contained in the recent new versions proposed by the Senate and House with the current program. The first section describes the program, pointing out that students' eligibility for Pell Grants and the size of their awards depend on three factors: the amount they and their…

More than $25 billion in financial aid in 1988 is awarded annually to students attending postsecondary education. The aid covers about the same percentage of college costs that it did in 1970, but the impact of veterans' education benefits and social security benefits is no longer significant, and loans now make up one-half the total aid, having…