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 paper presents an overview of student financial aid in Washington State, reports trends in college costs and state population, and explores the relationship between student aid and broader higher education policies. Chapters include discussions on the following: (1) college costs and affordability; (2) tuition policy and its relationship to…