This report describes the activities, accomplishments, and concerns of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education, for the 6-month period ending March 31, 2000. The report describes management challenges concerning student financial assistance, including instances of fraud and abuse, concealment of prior defaults, patterns of…

This brief report summarizes trends in student borrowing based on data from the 1992-93 and 1995-96 National Postsecondary Student Aid Studies. Major findings include: (1) between 1992-98 and 1994-96, the percentage of undergraduate students attending four-year institutions who borrowed from federal loan programs during the academic year increased…

President Bill Clinton used the declining default rate on college student loans as a basis for proposing tax breaks for college costs. Reduced defaults have saved taxpayer money and helped reduce the federal deficit. Over 150 colleges and universities, including 25 private institutions, risk losing eligibility for federal grant and loan programs…

The 1987 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study was used to compare four alternative approaches for assessing the influence of price subsidies on within-year persistence by graduate students. Conclusions include tuition charge has a substantial negative influence on persistence; and comprehensive packages (grants, loans, plus assistantships)…

Examines the total direct and indirect effects of receiving financial aid on persistence to degree using a subsample of 1989 freshmen from the Beginning Postsecondary Student Survey. Analysis shows that although simply receiving financial aid is unrelated to persistence, the effects of financial aid on persistence appear to depend on type and…

A study of graduate and professional student within-year persistence, based on the 1993 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, compared three models of the impact of financial aid on persistence. It was found that financial aid significantly and positively influenced within-year persistence, with comprehensive aid packages having the greatest…

A study analyzed demographic, socioeconomic, and financial factors in enrollment behavior of accepted applicants to Iona College (New York). Financial aid had a positive impact on enrollment decisions (excepting upper-income applicants): for every $1,000 increase offered, probability of enrollment increased 1.1 to 2.5%. Work-study was not…

The annual survey by the College Board of student financial aid traces development of a system that has grown dramatically, is now dominated by federal student loan programs, and has undergone a long-term shift in purpose from creating access for the disadvantaged to broadening choice and convenience for the middle class. These developments have…

This sheet offers statistics and analysis of national data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (1993) on the net costs of attending institutions of postsecondary education including tuition, fees, and living expenses minus grants, loans and work study compensation. One table shows costs of college attendance and student financial aid…

Tables, graphs, and text summarize the most recent statistics available on financial aid available to students in postsecondary education including virtually all federal aid and the vast majority of state and institutional assistance. It revises earlier 1990s data and provides estimates for the academic year 1995-96. Study highlights include: (1)…

This paper analyzes the factors associated with student loan default in the Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) program for higher education. The paper provides an overview of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) Student Loan Recipient Survey, and, using data from the survey, presents a descriptive analysis of student loan recipients and…

This document presents hearing testimony and prepared statements, letters, and supplemental material concerning the use of the United States tax collection system for collecting postsecondary education student loans and developing a repayment system that is income-sensitive. Among those presenting testimony are the following: Michael S. Bigelow,…

This document provides testimony, prepared statements, articles, publications, and other materials concerning the issue of augmenting current student financial assistance programs with the addition of direct student loans (Self Reliance Loans), and examines responsible ways in which the federal government should move in this direction. Among the…

This report presents the results of a U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) review of lender and Department of Education controls over the accuracy of lender-submitted quarterly billings under the Federal Family Education Loan Program, also known as the guaranteed student loan program. It reports that both lenders and the Department of Education…

This advisory report investigates the possible simplification of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and considers the issue of federal direct lending. The evaluation indicates that complexity in the FFELP is due to multiple, overlapping loan programs with conflicting terms and conditions. Nonstandard policies, procedures, forms, and…