The purpose of this paper is to describe the broad outlines of a new student financing program proposed by the state of Wisconsin and to present illustrative data on the distribution of its benefits. The results presented are both preliminary and partial. The paper is divided into four parts. Part 1 discusses the efficiency and equity questions…

Examines whether undergraduate students are incurring excessive debt to finance college attendance. Using data on debt levels for 1982-83 full-time college seniors in California, the study concludes that no more than four percent of dependent students and five percent of independent students have excessive debt. Includes six tables, seven notes,…

Trends in students' responses to the annual graduation questionnaire of the Association of American Medical Colleges from 1981 to 1986 were examined. Changes in career activity reflected increasing interest in full-time academic appointments and decreasing interest in solo, private practices. (Author/MLW)

Given the pressure for alternative uses of government funds, loans will continue to have a role in the student assistance program. The limitations inherent in their use and how best they may be coped with are explored. (MLW)

Student loans have become an essential ingredient of financial planning for college. The Guaranteed Student Loan Program's default rate is over 10 percent. World Bank and other international data suggest three solutions: longer repayment terms, graduated repayment schedules, and forgiveness for individuals choosing public service. (8 references)…

This guide explains available repayment options for federal student loans so that students can repay their debts successfully. It also tells the steps students should take so that they will not get behind in payments or go into default. It is emphasized that federal student loans are real loans, just like car loans or mortgages, that must be…

College students are leaving their higher education institutions with more educational loan debt than ever before. From academic year 1994-1997 to 1999-2000, the amount postsecondary education students borrowed through federal student loan programs jumped from $24 billion to $33.7 billion, and total debt for borrowers who received master's and…

This report presents data on default rates within two major federal student loan programs, the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP) and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Data from the National Student Loan Data System for 1997 and 1998 indicate that, overall, direct and guaranteed student loan programs had similar default rates--6.6…

In November 1999, the U.S. Department of Education began offering a 0.25% interest rate reduction to borrowers under the Direct Loan program who agree to have their monthly loan payments automatically withdrawn from a bank account through its electronic debit account (EDA) program. The Department of Education submitted a justification to the…

A recent Education Department report reveals the nation's student loan default rate was the lowest ever in 1994, at less than half the rate of 1990. New enforcement power, improved collections, and an improving economy are credited with the change. However, high default rates threaten the right of over 300 colleges and universities to participate…

Offers advice to higher education institutions about financing decisions on their debt portfolios. Addresses developing a debt management framework, factors affecting strategy, interest rate management, establishing a debt management benchmark, and adopting a prospective approach. Sidebars discuss the trade-offs of credit offerings, and…

The introduction to the collection of papers produced for or generated by a 1988 symposium titled "Law Student Debt, the Salary 'Gap' and Their Impact on the Legal Profession" notes the response of New York University (which adopted a loan forgiveness program) to the dilemma posed by the symposium. (DB)

This article investigates the extent to which student borrowers might be induced to prepay by an offer from the government to share a portion of its savings expected from prepayment. The analysis suggests that potential savings are not likely to be large enough to induce significant prepayment. (Author/MLW)

This article urges the financing of higher education by the Tuition Advance Fund, under which any undergraduate degree candidate is advanced money to pay for his or her education. The money is later repaid through a payroll-withholding tax administered by the Internal Revenue Service. It argues that such a plan would be an improvement in both…

Survey of college students who managed credit cards wisely and those who did not (N=310), revealed that responsible users were more likely to have acquired credit cards before matriculating in college. Discusses implications for future personal-debt management and for institutions of higher education with regard to credit-card vendors. (EMK)