The federal government now offers a multitude of complicated income-driven repayment (IDR) plans that are difficult to understand, enroll in, and stay in. Many students who would benefit from IDR do not enroll, and others will have large amounts of debt forgiven despite earning high wages. The current problems with IDR are not an indictment of the…

Communities with more college degrees have higher incomes, less reliance on social services, and greater economic growth. To ensure that Michigan's workforce has the skills needed for the modern economy, the state's leaders must build a financial aid system that helps families cover college costs. However, disjointed program designs, maintenance…

This brief, the third in a series produced by the California College Promise Project (CCPP) at WestEd, describes research conducted by the CCPP on the relationship between the 2017 legislation "Community Colleges: California College Promise" (AB19) and the structure of local College Promise programs. The analysis examines College Promise…

College Promise programs aim to make students believe they can afford college, and to give them the opportunity to go to college and earn degrees without taking on significant debt. At the core of all College Promise programs is a scholarship: All eligible College Promise students receive scholarships that may cover up to 100 percent of tuition…

Despite all the attention it has received in recent years, the cost of college continues to rise at both private and public institutions across the United States. According to data from the College Board, average tuition and fees for a public four-year college is $20,770 if in-state or $35,420 for out-of-state, and $46,950 for private, non-profit…

College Promise programs are thriving in California, and with the continued growth comes a need to understand the features of these diverse efforts and the perspectives of the communities in which they exist. In 2018, the James Irvine Foundation supported California College Promise Project (CCPP) at WestEd to study the College Promise landscape in…

Recent increases in tuition levels, accelerated by declining state funding to institutions, have combined with stagnant or falling household incomes to make it more difficult for many college students to finance postsecondary education. In this environment, state grant programs are more important than ever. These funds have the potential to make…

The 2013 study, "Evaluation of the College Possible Program: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial", investigated the effect of the "College Possible" program, which is designed to serve low-income high school students by providing SAT/ACT test preparation, financial aid consulting, and college admissions guidance in an…

Although the default rate on federally insured student loans is declining, the amount of student borrowing has almost tripled since 1990. Borrowers may be finding loans more burdensome, as nearly one-third are unsubsidized and amounts borrowed are steadily increasing. Also, the General Accounting Office has discovered serious program management…

This survey comprised of two volumes of the first year of implementation of the Federal Direct Loan Program among institutions of the first cohort was designed to assess institutions' experiences in transition to the new program and their satisfaction with the program overall. Results included: (1) the overall level of schools' satisfaction with…

A discussion of state grant programs for college students outlines the relationships between program goals and effects and the difficulties in designing appropriate and successful programs. Guidelines for assessing these interrelationships are offered to help policymakers design grant programs that can most efficiently and effectively achieve…

This evaluation study developed 29 recommendations concerning the implementation of direct loans in providing financial assistance to postsecondary school students. The investigation included examination of a current Department of Education (ED) pilot program, a video teleconference to discuss direct lending with 23 individuals in education…

In this paper, the challenges faced by graduate students in Malaysia are discussed. Structure of graduate programs, lack of research resources, limited research opportunities, lack of opportunity to involve in professional organizations, shortage of qualified academic staffs, and lack of financial aid are some of challenges faced by graduate…

An alternative system is proposed for college students: provide grants in the freshman year, reduce grants and small loans in the second, introduce work-study in the third along with reduced grants and loans, and further increase loan and reduce the grant with work-study in the fourth year. (MSE)

Income-contingent student loans are examined in the context of an overall aid program, with an emphasis on placing realistic limits on individual debt burden while broadening loan use. A model for simulating borrowing and cumulative debt limits in different countries' educational circumstances is presented and illustrated with United States data.…