Introduces the issue, with the following themes: (1) the increased importance of higher education; (2) policies, issues, and attitudes affecting access to higher education in the 1980s; and (3) the questionable effectiveness of junior colleges. (DM)

An economic squeeze is being placed on colleges and universities through reduced federal and state aid to education. Discusses the history of financial aid, who is considered needy, whether accepting a student loan is wise, the new Direct Loan program, prepayment loans, using college debt to your advantage, and future trends in financial aid. (JBJ)

This report examines the Perkins Student Loan Program, and in particular, the weaknesses in the Department of Education's policies, procedures, and practices for recovering Perkins loan fund assets from schools that go out of business. The report reveals that when schools in the Perkins Student Loan Program close, the Department of Education…

The General Accounting Office reviewed 18 relevant studies and analyzed existing data from the High School and Beyond Survey of 58,728 students to determine students' and parents' knowledge of federal financial aid for postsecondary education. It was found that students and parents knew very little about financial aid and held erroneous views…

Three plans for reforming the financing of students wishing to attend college, therefore improving college affordability, are outlined: (1) improving the college loan system; (2) mitigating high tuition with high student aid; and (3) making comprehensive changes at all levels of the college finance system (the Plan of the National Commission on…

Summarizes prior studies with a focus on untangling how changes in student financial aid policy have influenced changes in opportunity. Also recommends new strategies for lowering student loan debt, increasing federal and state cooperation in providing adequate need-based grant aid, and developing policies that target debt forgiveness for…

The nature of the changes in the patterns of financing and control of higher education systems which have been observed in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries over the last decade are discussed. In particular, the report analyzes the links between expenditure patterns, costs and efficiency in higher education…

This report uses government data to review current, past, and proposed tax-based policies and programs to promote college affordability as well as need-based grant aid. Tax-incentive-based programs include savings bonds for education, employer-provided educational assistance, state college savings plans, deductibility of student loan interest,…

This study analyzes the experience of existing higher education student loan programs in developing countries in order to understand their role in fostering cost recovery. Detailed financial analyses of 24 loan programs shows that present value of the repayments collected constitutes a small percentage of the loan value disbursed. In general,…

This report presents an analysis of the debt levels and debt burdens of recent college graduates, based on student-reported data from four national surveys taken over the period 1977 to 1986. The major findings of this study were the following: (1) one out of two 1986 college graduates had some undergraduate debt representing an increase from one…

This book is designed as a guide to existing and proposed higher education tuition financing plans. The first chapter looks at recent patterns in higher education financing and participation noting the rapid increase in tuition and other college costs and the corresponding changes in participation patterns. Chapter 2 examines tuition prepayments,…

Reviews problems with the Stafford Student Loan Program (Federal Family Educational Loan Program), including high-risk borrowers, dishonest school officials, negligent lenders, and guaranty agencies. Critiques recent reform measures designed to simplify the program. Suggests alternative policies, particularly direct loans from the federal…

This congressional report argues that the costs of the current guaranteed lending program for postsecondary education can be reduced in three ways: (1) by eliminating more-than-competitive returns to private lenders; (2) by reducing administrative costs; and (3) by reducing default costs. It is suggested that the first solution can be accomplished…

This report provides recent statistics on trends in student aid in the 1980s and 1990s for the federal government, state governments, and educational institutions. The analysis also reports on changes in the costs of attending college and in family incomes in order to provide a context for assessing whether college is becoming more or less…

This report provides the most recent and complete statistics available on student aid in the 1980s. It revises figures presented earlier for the 1980s and, for the first time, gives estimates for academic year 1989-90. The data series upon which the report is based is intended to provide comparable statistics over time for the major providers of…