A Massachusetts plan involving 67 colleges allows parents to invest in state bonds and redeem them later, at original value plus 2% above inflation rate, for a guaranteed percentage of tuition. Plan improves on strategies tested by other states. Supporters foresee more college applicants and less need for student aid. (MSE)

This survey concludes that, overall, student debt has not caused most borrowers to make lifestyles changes nor regret their educational investment. Discussion analyzes borrower debt levels; payment-to-income and debt-to-income ratios; noneducation debt burden; student perceptions about borrowing and debt; effect of borrowing on decision making;…

Several elite private colleges have announced additional financial aid sources for middle class students, because enrollment patterns suggested previous policies attracted proportionately more low- and high-income than middle-income students. One college feels the new policy encourages families to save for college. Critics say the institutions are…

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…

On June 15, 2006, the Pathways to College Network, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) convened more than 135 education leaders, policymakers, policy-shapers, researchers, practitioners, and others from 27 states and the District of Columbia to discuss issues of critical importance to…

This report presents a model and an approach that institutions of higher education can use to analyze and project the impact of endogenous and exogenous factors on both net and gross tuition in the context of the increasing practice of tuition discounting. It is noted that two key questions drive this effort: (1) what influence does gross tuition…

This report summarizes the programs in the 15 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) designed to help parents provide for future college costs. It differentiates between college savings plans, bond programs, and prepaid tuition plans. Differences in the programs of the various states are discussed, such as who can buy a prepaid…

Minnesota assigns responsibility for paying the price of college to students, families and taxpayers. This document explores how the state determines the financial role of each contributor, offers incentives for families and students to prepare for assuming their share of costs, and discusses how higher education institutions and political leaders…

This report gives recommendations for the 1999 budget policy for higher education within the state of New Jersey. In its background section of previous budget policies and related reports, the report describes the Commission's goals and plans on financing, the condition of New Jersey's financial aid to students, incentive programs, and remaining…

This report is the first publication based on the 2003-04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:04), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education. NPSAS is a comprehensive study that examines how students and their families pay for postsecondary education. The study includes…

After four months of work, a national panel studying why colleges cost so much has reached the conclusion that American higher education is, for the most part, a bargain. Republicans originally asked the commission to focus on cost containment. The commission's membership is dominated by educators. Panel recommendations emphasize explaining to…

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.…

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 study compared the costs and funding of higher education in 15 European countries, focusing on the quantitative role public funding plays in covering the overall costs of higher education and the qualitative function of public support in shaping the student's role as dependent, investor, or citizen. Wide divergence in national approaches to the…

The experiences of California college and university students suggest that Hope credits and Lifetime Learning credits, federal tax credits designed to help working students and middle-class families afford college, are having a limited impact. Award calculation, income limits, tax liability policy, college costs, and financial aid all affect the…