This brief examines data from 19,934 students with self-reported educational debt in Trellis' Fall 2021 Student Financial Wellness Survey (SFWS), with special emphasis on their financial security and attitudes toward their loans, debt, and debt forgiveness. Nearly two-thirds of borrowers had accumulated more debt than expected, and 36 percent did…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Committee on Education and Labor that was held to examine the protection of students and taxpayers by improving the closed school discharge process. Member statements were provided by: (1) Honorable Frederica S. Wilson, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment;…

In this letter, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) responds to questions about the effects of President Biden's August 24, 2022, announcement on executive actions affecting student loans. The cost of outstanding student loans will increase by $20 billion because an action suspended payments, interest accrual, and involuntary collections from…

Novel and unpredictable learning environments are a feature of school-to-college transitions that erode students' academic control, emotional resilience, and achievement (Perry, Hall, & Ruthig, 2005). Although motivation interventions can benefit college students (Koenka, 2020), few studies have examined treatment efficacy for students of…

As higher education tuition continues to rise in the United States and globally, other costs impacting students, such as fees, parking, and housing, are rising at a similar pace. Concurrently, more higher education institutions are focusing on creating boutique experiences for students, including the option for single-unit housing. This paper…

Numerous degree programs throughout the UNC System equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills for meaningful careers that generate excellent returns for both alumni and the North Carolina economy. This talent pool attracts businesses and residents to the state, expanding job opportunities, further developing the labor force, and…

America's colleges and universities are at a crossroads. The number of schools closing their doors continues to grow driven by the declining number of students pursuing a bachelor's. This situation is expected to worsen because of a number of factors: (1) Starting in 2025 the U.S. will face the so-called "enrollment cliff," in which the…

Previous studies have focused heavily on the astronomical student loan debt number in the United States of America and the overall expense of higher education; however, few studies have focused on the financial literacy of higher education students and what financial knowledge the individuals possess who were key members of the community who were…

A growing amount of research examines the personal and financial burden of students in healthcare programs who graduate with large amounts of student loan debt. However, a paucity of literature addresses occupational therapists' student loan debt burden. This study was conducted to describe the context of occupational therapists who have…

We contribute to the higher education returns discourse by examining perceptions among college graduates. Using 2021 U.S. Survey of Household Economics of Decisionmaking data, we observe that over 80% of degree holders perceive that they received positive financial returns from college, while only 7% of college degree holders regret their decision…

This study employs data from the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) Baccalaureate and Beyond Surveys to compare financial well-being among college graduates with varying social characteristics and levels of student debt. We use logistic regression to answer three questions: 1) To what extent does the amount of debt at graduation…

We examined patterns and sociodemographic correlates of financial characteristics and behaviors among emerging and young (18-34-year-old) student loan borrowers. Employing latent class regression modeling on a subset of the 2018 National Financial Capability Study (N=1,490), we explored a heterogeneous constellation of patterns in these borrowers'…

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration paused federal student loan payments and interest accruals as a temporary relief measure for borrowers. The pause covered roughly 90 percent of all outstanding student loans, affecting about 38 million individuals, who collectively held a balance of $1.5 trillion. For each of the 17 million…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Committee on Education and Labor that was held to examine the Department of Education's implementation of Borrower Defense. Member statements were provided by: (1) Honorable Robert Scott, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor; and (2) Honorable Virginia Foxx, Ranking Member, Committee…

Business-inspired school reform policies in the United States date back to the late 19th century. In the last four decades, however, while school reformers have continued to borrow policies and practices from the business world, the dominant business model itself has changed dramatically as part of the financialization of the economy. Once a…