Federal Student Aid's core mission is to ensure that all eligible Americans benefit from federal financial assistance--grants, loans and work-study programs--for education beyond high school. The programs administered comprise the nation's largest source of student aid. Every year, the U.S. Department of Education provides more than $83 billion in…

This pamphlet summarizes the legal restraints that affect the right of colleges and universities to withhold transcripts as a means of collecting student debts under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States which provides for restraint on the actions of creditors. An introductory section notes that there are three kinds of relevant bankruptcies…

This paper discusses the role of student loans in college access. Borrowing to pay for education is a sound decision for most students, and student loans are a vital part of college financing policy. There has been a considerable increase in student borrowing, and much of this results from the introduction of the Stafford Loan in 1993. Borrowing…

State low-interest college loans programs for middle-class families have emerged in response to restrictions on federally subsidized Stafford Loans. The key difference between federal and state programs is that most state programs require student borrowers and cosigners to prove good credit risks, reducing loan default and making the programs…

A brochure describes how student loan default can cause permanent damage to an individual's financial future. and how to prevent default. A student loan is a legal promise. In exchange for help funding one's education, a promise is made to repay the education loan. The promise is made by signing a Promissory Note for any funds borrowed. Loan…

This report examines the extent to which correspondence schools participate in the Stafford Student Load Program and the rates at which students from these schools default on their student loans. It is revealed that the average borrower default rate for students attending correspondence schools was more than double the rate, 42.2 percent versus…

This brochure contains information about student loans for college applicants and students in Missouri. It is a resource to assist borrowers in making smart repayment decisions and in understanding the options to avoid delinquency and default. Things to consider before one borrows, how to increase one's resources, and how to decrease one's…

In response to the requirements of the Higher Education Amendments of 1986, this report addresses the impact of the two-year-old Student Loan Consolidation Program. Principle findings of the investigation concern the higher interst costs to the borrower that are brought about by longer payment plans and the fact that the government's subsidy costs…

This brief statement offers 10 questions for consideration by American Dental Association (ADA) officials and others concerned with the burdensome indebtedness graduates often incur for their dental education. Questions ask for assessments in such areas as school operating costs, tuition, school support, loan forgiveness, and how the ADA can help…

This report presents the results of an investigation which evaluated the Department of Education's data base on Stafford Loans and discusses how the Department can use the information to prevent loan abuses. The investigation's findings reveal that loan defaulters may have obtained about $109 million in new loans, and that students received…

This guide is intended to assist financial aid officers interpret the coding on the Student Aid Report (SAR), which is sent directly to students, and on the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), which is sent directly to institutions, in order to help students make the necessary corrections to their financial aid application data. The…

This report on student indebtedness is based primarily on a current study which is measuring the average Stafford loan balance facing students, as well as indicators of payment stress. The study is based on data on about 325,000 loans from the USA Group's entire loan servicing portfolio, which includes both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford…

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;…

These proceedings include five papers presented at a symposium on issues related to the increasing amounts of student borrowing and resulting student debt. Also included is a synopsis of a roundtable discussion addressing core questions framed by the symposium, as well as several public policy options for addressing student loan debt burden. The…

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,…