Obtaining a college degree creates a pathway for low-income students and their families toward advancement within American society. Earning a postsecondary credential positively impacts an individual's employment outcomes, income, job satisfaction, and overall health. In working toward this goal, older, financially independent working…

Financial literacy, or understanding how money is made, spent, and saved in order to make informed decisions, is particularly important during the transition to and through college. Students who have a deeper understanding of finances and how they work are better positioned to make decisions regarding the college or university they attend, what to…

"A Closer Look at the Trillion: Borrowing, Repayment and Default at Iowa's Community Colleges," takes an unprecedented look at community college student borrowing and repayment behavior. The report uses data from all 16 community colleges in Iowa to examine the characteristics of borrowers and defaulters to help colleges and policymakers…

This guide for student first-time borrowers presents the basic facts about subsidized Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans. Components of the guide include: (1) a section providing such information as amounts that can be borrowed, interest rates, loan fees, the various repayment plans, and loan…

This guide is designed to help school financial aid administrators provide effective entrance counseling for first-time student borrowers of subsidized Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans. A section on what is required for entrance counseling specifies both regulatory requirements and the…

This guide is intended to help school financial aid administrators meet the requirement that they provide in-person exit counseling to borrowers of Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans (direct subsidized) and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans (direct unsubsidized). The guide is intended to be used with a companion video and a guide for…

Students who have their National Direct Student Loans or Guaranteed Student Loans discharged under federal bankruptcy law may encounter difficulty obtaining college transcripts, and should be counseled on these problems. Available from University of Louisville, 2301 Third St., Louisville, KY 40208; $4.00. (MSE)

Background and legal requirements for disclosure and counseling of students receiving loans under the federal student loan programs are discussed. A definition of loan counseling, a decision-making model for creating an institutional program, and information on loan consolidation are provided. Following introductory and background sections, the…

This guide provides information to college-bound students on the Federal student aid programs that are available and how to apply for them. General information covers the student eligibility requirements, financial needs, dependency status, and steps for applying for financial assistance. In addition, any special circumstances that exist,…