Problems with finance data reported through the Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS) are reported. Less than one percent of institutions appear to have reported incorrect data for the fiscal year (FY) 1983 finance survey. One reporting problem concerns state appropriations that are radically different in previous years or that are…

The nature and extent of corrections made to their records by zero/low income applicants to the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program was investigated. Behaviors of zero/low income applicants and the total pool of applicants were also compared. It was found that zero/low income applicants and all applicants who were rejected displayed…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a complex form completed annually by millions of postsecondary students applying for federal financial aid. Errors frequently require resubmission. It is suggested that cognitive psychology principles that help describe how people understand text and complete forms be applied to a redesigned…

The Integrated Quality Control Measurement Project (IQCMP) of the U.S. Department of Education measured the quality of awards distributed during the 1988-89 award year under the three major Title IV programs: the Pell Grant program, the Campus-Based programs, and the Stafford Loan program, in order to evaluate and improve the quality of the…

The purpose and direction of the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) quality improvement program are described. The background and context for the Pell Grant quality control (QC) design study and the meaning of QC are reviewed. The general approach to quality improvement consists of the following elements: a strategic approach that enables OSFA…

A study was conducted in 1976 of applicants who submitted corrections or amendments to their Student Eligibility Reports (SERs) for the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) Program. The objective was to review the applications corrections process and to determine factors linked to applicants' use of correction procedures. Attention was…

The validity of information provided in applications to the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program was studied, along with procedures used in recovering overpayments. The objective was to investigate misreporting and misuse of the BEOG program. A 1977-1978 study reviewed cases referred to the U.S. Office of Education by educational…

The use of estimated income to analyze financial need of applicants to the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program was investigated. Attention was focused on: how well applicants estimate their income; reasons for errors in estimation, and whether applicants supplying income tax returns supply true versions. For 1,547 eligible BEOG…

Stage Two of the Title IV Quality Control Project is an integrated study of quality in five related Federal financial aid programs for postsecondary students. Section 1 of the paper establishes a framework for defining quality improvements, in order to identify the types of changes that would tend to improve quality across all facets of the…

A preliminary design for a quality control (QC) system for the Pell Grant Program is proposed, based on the needs of the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). The applicability of the general design for other student aid programs administered by OSFA is also considered. The following steps included in a strategic approach to QC system…

The objectives of the Pell Grant quality control (QC) system and the general definition of QC are considered. Attention is also directed to: the objectives of the Stage II Pell Grant QC system design and testing project, the approach used to develop the QC system, and the interface of the QC system and the Pell Grant delivery system. The…

The types and ranges of errors made on applications to the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program were studied, along with procedures used in recovering overpayments. The objective was to assess the scope and nature of misreporting and misuse of the BEOG program. A 1975-1976 study reviewed cases referred to the U.S. Office of Education…

Errors made on applications to the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) program were studied to determine the scope and nature of misreporting and misuse of the BEOG program. Characteristics of applicants who misreport personal and/or family financial circumstances were identified, and procedures were established to regularly screen and…

This report discusses problems reported by lenders participating in the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The study examined the nature and the source of the problems experienced by the lenders, how they affected lenders, and what steps the Department of Education and Electronic Data Systems…

The Pell Grant Quality Control Study of 1982-83, the third stage of a contract with the Department of Education, was designed to identify program error rate, to measure the impact of increased validation activity, and to propose corrective actions to reduce the misallocation of program funds. A nationally representative sample of approximately…