Federal student assistance has become a tangled thicket of programs and policies. It is complicated, fails to focus benefits on the neediest students, and is increasingly expensive. Complexity and cost, grants or loans, who should benefit from student assistance and who should pay, and reshaping student aid are discussed. (MLW)

This guide describes Federal student aid programs, how to apply for them, and what these programs entail. Guidelines are provided on the ways to find out about student financial aid that is available and how to choose a school carefully. Additionally examined are student eligibility requirements, financial need rules, dependency status, steps in…

This report discusses the Federal Pell Grant Program, the largest need-related federal postsecondary student grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, along with recent changes in the program authorized by the 1992 Amendments to the Higher Education Act. The program is designed to assist student from low-income families who…