Many people wonder where to start when it comes to paying for college. This guide is intended to help answer questions about paying for college. Applying for financial aid is not difficult, but it is important to plan ahead and understand all of the options. This guide provides information about: (1) grants; (2) loans; (3) scholarships; (4)…

In this article, the author begins to examine the connections between institutional enrollment management efforts and the various external for-profit, and not-for-profit, businesses that have become part of the enrollment management industry. This essay is an effort to map the relationships between institutions, the enrollment industry, and more…

Librarians should add this must-have resource to their library's collection to assist patrons in the tough task of applying and paying for college. Whether they are a high school student, already in college, a parent, or an adult returning to school, patrons can use this guide to: (1) Fill out forms for financial aid, loans, and scholarships; (2)…

"College Bound? Make the Right Choices" is the Pope Center's latest tool for improving colleges and universities "from the bottom up" through better choices. Its purpose is to help high school students and their parents become smarter purchasers of higher education. This booklet by Jenna Ashley Robinson helps young people think through what they…

Noting that access to higher education has expanded dramatically in the past several decades, Sara Goldrick-Rab and Kia Sorensen focus on how unmarried parents fare once they enter college. Contrary to the expectation that access to college consistently promotes family stability and economic security, the authors argue that deficiencies in current…

This guide explains in a question-and-answer format the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan Program, which is part of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and is designed to help students and parents manage and repay money borrowed for postsecondary education, usually with just one monthly payment. Advantages of a Direct Consolidation…

This biweekly newsletter contains news and information about school improvement in the United States, designed expressly for parents and families. This issue highlights federal student loan interest rates, which have dropped to 3.37 percent, the lowest in nearly 35 years, saving money for millions of borrowers.

This pamphlet provides basic facts about the U.S. Department of Education's Direct Loan Program for students. These loans include Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Direct Consolidation Loans. The pamphlet's sections are: (1) "The Direct Loan Program: What Is It?";…

"The Achiever" is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. Highlights of this issue include: (1) President Signs College Cost Reduction Act; (2) Galvanizing the Community: Charter Schools Provides Greater Choice to Colorado Latinos…

This guide to federal Direct PLUS loans for parents of students attending postsecondary education institutions begins with a list of frequently asked questions and answers. The first chapter is on the basics of what a Direct PLUS loan is and what parents need to know before applying for a Direct PLUS loan. The second chapter, which deals with…

This handbook shows how families in various income groups manage to pay for college. The handbook is based on the real experiences of a large number of actual families, as described by national surveys. To find out exactly what it would cost to attend a particular college, the student would have to apply for financial aid, but this guide gives…

The Direct PLUS Loan is one of the low-interest loans provided by the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The U.S. Department of Education delivers loan proceeds through the student's school, and parents are responsible for repaying the Department. This booklet answers parents' questions about the loan program, including: (1) Am I…

In fiscal year 2004, lenders made about $65 billion in loans through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) to assist students in paying for postsecondary education. The Higher Education Act (HEA), which authorizes FFELP, broadly defined eligible lenders, including schools. The Department of Education's (Education) Office of Federal…

Four separate sections comprise this directory: a descriptive list of financial aid programs designed primarily or exclusively for the disabled and their families; a list of state sources of benefits; an annotated bibliography of directories listing general financial aid programs; and a set of five indexes (program title, sponsoring organization,…

This resource paper on financial aid for postsecondary education covers various types of financial aid (grants, loans, and employment); the technical words and phrases used to discuss it (such as "financial need,""family contribution," and "financial aid package"); and the process involved in its disbursement. Particular attention is given to…