Teaching mathematics associated with the repaying of loans has always been an awkward task--it seems superficially easy, but it contains pitfalls both for the learner and for the unwary teacher. This short article reviews some of the mathematics, and notes an interesting result.

This paper examines the rise in student loan default and delinquency. It draws on a unique set of administrative data on federal student borrowing matched to earnings records from de-identified tax records. Most of the increase in default is associated with borrowers at for-profit schools, 2-year institutions, and certain other nonselective…

This report (the first in a series of five) explores congressional efforts to mitigate that risk and encourage informed borrowing by enacting statutes related to student loan counseling. After introducing the relevant contemporary policy context, it examines how federal rules governing student loan counseling evolved over time to embrace online…

The recent significant increase in student loan delinquencies has generated interest in understanding the key factors predicting the non-performance of these loans. However, despite the large size of the student loan market, existing analyses have been limited by lack of data. This paper studies predictors of student loan delinquencies using a…

"Minnesota Measures" provides a resource of accurate, timely, and comprehensive facts about higher education in Minnesota. It includes comparisons over time as well as national and peer institution comparisons. Obtaining a postsecondary credential increases economic opportunity, promotes income equality, and prepares the state to meet…

A college degree is essential in our society, especially for students who historically have been left out of our higher education system. But with the current higher education information systems in place, it's difficult, if not impossible, for students and families to get the data they need to make an informed decision about the best institution…

The FY 2015-2019 Five-Year Strategic Plan provides the framework for Federal Student Aid to address the financial aid needs of students and families by utilizing quality data to identify trends and forecast projections which inform policy and operational decisions. Federal Student Aid's (FSA's) plan is composed of five strategic goals: (1) Improve…

This paper examines current part-time mature learners' views on the potential impact upon future students as full fees are introduced from 2012. It investigates the problems which part-time mature learners may face with the advent of student loans and subsequent debt, given that they are usually combining complex lives with their studies, with…

As the cost of college has spiraled ever upward and median family income has fallen, the loan program, called Parent PLUS, has become indispensable for increasing numbers of parents desperate to make their children's college plans work. Last year the government disbursed $10.6-billion in Parent PLUS loans to just under a million families. Even…

The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is pleased to present these research findings regarding ways to reform student financial aid. In 2012, CED released "Boosting Postsecondary Education Performance"--calling on business to become active advocates at the state level for broad-access institutions that are so vital to the nation's…

Armed with data and projections about budgets and future enrollments, Wilson College, in Pennsylvania, considers a slew of changes, including men. Among other changes, the board approved cutting tuition by $5,000, starting a high-profile loan-buyback program, creating new offerings in the health sciences and other career-oriented disciplines, and…

This paper examines the institutional determinants of federal loan status for a recent cohort of college students. We first set out how institutions influence loan accumulations and repayment rates, with particular focus on for-profit colleges. We then test a set of hypotheses about loan status and repayment using national data on loans, defaults,…

Over the course of the past few decades student loans have become an increasingly common means of paying for a college education. Most students who complete a college program now take on student loans, and the amount of student debt that students assume has increased along with the price of attending college. At this time about 44 million…

High levels of student debt can hamper recent graduates as they start their adult lives and careers, influence their choice of job, location, or the decision to pursue further education (Asher 2009). At the same time, student loans are a vital source of financing for students looking to pursue higher education and, if managed appropriately,…

Since 2005, "The Institute for College Access & Success" (TICAS) and its Project on Student Debt have worked to reduce the risks and burdens of student debt. TICAS helped create and improve income-based repayment plans to keep federal loan payments manageable; strengthen Pell Grants, which reduce the need to borrow; and simplify the…