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…

Investigated the impact of student characteristics and financial aid awards on degree completion rates of 2-year college students. Found that less than one-third obtained their degree, less than one-tenth of completers had a high school GPA of less than 2.0, federal loans and work study were positive predictors of degree completion, and federal…

During spring 2001, Noel-Levitz created a student loan default model for the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). The goal of this project was to identify students most likely to default, to identify as risk elements those characteristics that contributed to student loan default, and to use these risk elements to plan and implement targeted,…

The crisis of affordability in higher education is intensifying. Illustrations of its resonance abound: from the frequent news articles describing and amplifying the crisis and its sources to legislators' and candidates' proposed responses. Republicans' responses tend to be mainly punitive toward institutions; Democrats' proposals are more…

The 2008-09 Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid provides useful information to help high school counselors, TRIO and GEAR UP staff, and other mentors advise students about financial aid for postsecondary education. This book focuses on the federal student aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. It contains…

This paper examines some of the factors that affect the college choice of students from low-income families, specifically as it relates to college costs, and presents the results of a qualitative study on the factors that motivated the college attendance and choice of eight students from low-income families enrolled at a small, moderately…

This speech by President William Clinton addresses the 1996 graduating class of Princeton University on the occasion of Princeton's 250th anniversary. After his opening remarks, the President touches on the importance of the graduating seniors' education as well as the importance of education in general to the nation's future. He compares the…

This collection of charts is intended to be used by participants in the tuition discounting study to interpret and present institutional results vis-a-vis comparative peer groups. The three peer groups included in the study are: small colleges, lower tuition; small colleges, higher tuition; and large colleges and universities. The document is…

This report presents statistics and other information concerning trends in, and the current (1991) status of, various student financial aid programs in New York State. Among the report's findings are the following: (1) New York State spent more on student aid in 1990-91 than 1989-90 out of a smaller State higher education budget; (2) despite the…

This report examines the Perkins Student Loan Program, and in particular, the weaknesses in the Department of Education's policies, procedures, and practices for recovering Perkins loan fund assets from schools that go out of business. The report reveals that when schools in the Perkins Student Loan Program close, the Department of Education…

This report, based on the 1987 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, provides information on how different sources and types of student financial aid were combined to produce student aid awards or packages for 34,544 undergraduate students. First, aid awards are examined by the source of aid; second, by the type of aid; and third, by a…

The report provides information on the possible impact of revised eligibility requirements on the volume of supplemental loans for students (SLS). These are market-rate loans made to postsecondary students in addition to or in lieu of other financial aid, such as Stafford loans (formerly called guaranteed student loans) and Pell grants. The data…

The General Accounting Office reviewed 18 relevant studies and analyzed existing data from the High School and Beyond Survey of 58,728 students to determine students' and parents' knowledge of federal financial aid for postsecondary education. It was found that students and parents knew very little about financial aid and held erroneous views…