Lehigh University's (Pennsylvania) commitment to meeting the financial aid needs of all regularly admitted first-year students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents has meant reallocation of institutional resources. The policy has already improved the applicant pool and quality of the first-year class, making the institution more…

A journalist and college instructor who attended college on a Pell Grant recounts her escape from poverty through education. She notes shifts in public policy toward financial aid through loans and tax credits rather than grants, but urges that the Pell Grant program be restored to the level of assistance provided youth from economically deprived…

Reviews recent data on cost trends in professional (especially legal) education, including interest costs, repayment mechanisms, and the issue of foregone wages. Also examines placement data and the ability to repay and refinance college indebtedness, as well as the developing relationship among college cost, credit cards, and consumer finance.…

Financial assistance for individuals attending college has existed in this country almost as long as higher education itself. Institutions awarded many of the earliest scholarships based on students' academic merit, with consideration often given to financial need. This practice was carried into the twentieth century, largely by private elite…

In this article, the author discusses the final report from the Education Secretary's Commission on the Future of Higher Education--officially released on September 19 under the title "A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education." The report has its fair share of advocates and antagonists. But as with the NCLB…

As debate in Washington heats up regarding congressional reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, a central question involves what to do about the continued coexistence of the two student loan programs--the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and the Direct Loan Program (DLP). With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake for banks,…

This essay, based on a roundtable discussion held by institutional leaders, policymakers, and other citizens concerned with the vitality of the state's public and private colleges and universities, focuses on California's efforts to provide access to higher education and sustain quality in the face of a growing student body of adult and…

This report by 27 college and university presidents stresses the primacy of efforts to provide full and equal access to institutions of higher education, especially land grant institutions, and to the full range of programs and services they provide. Three challenges are identified in increasing access. First, price, although public university…

A July 1996 public opinion poll shows that Americans, particularly those likely to have children reaching college age, sharply overestimate the cost of a college education. As a result, some may not explore financing possibilities further. College officials must be more direct with the public about the economic realities of higher education. (MSE)

Between 1991 and 1994, college student borrowing increased by 28% annually, higher than the national rate. The highest rates are among older, part-time, independent, and minority students. Rising debt and rising costs predict a growing problem of indebtedness among students. Social and economic consequences could be severe if this trend continues.…

Discusses the financial needs of community college students. Focuses on the types of aid they currently receive, problems surrounding financial aid for community college students, and alternative ways in which community college leaders can help alleviate the gap between costs and aid for their students. (34 citations) (AJL)

This article examines problems with the student loan program from an institutional perspective, in the context of reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. It raises questions for evaluating reform proposals; presents seven key principles for student loan reform; and offers suggestions for a pilot program addressing direct lending,…

This article reviews student loan programs around the world; notes the problem of financial inefficiency, particularly in developing nations; discusses strategies to improve loan program performance, such as program targeting and avoidance of hidden subsidies; and considers alternatives to student loans based on principles of deferred payment. (DB)

This article describes current structures of educational finance in Uganda (where college students are supported by the government, whereas families must pay a substantial portion of elementary and secondary costs); considers arguments for increased cost recovery and the introduction of student loans; and examines obstacles to student loans in…

A discussion of prepaid college tuition plans, operational in a dozen states, finds that they have proven viable but present problems in three areas: (1) their structure must not redistribute state resources to the relatively wealthy; (2) participation may create pressure on admissions policy; and (3) state legislatures may see the accumulated…