This report presents a comprehensive overview of the parental role in higher education. It is on various data sources, including a nationally representative survey of 750 parents of current college students. The report addresses issues ranging from selecting an institution, to paying tuition, to patterns of saving and borrowing, to the demographic…

Private loans also known as private-label loans or alternative loans, have long been part of the student financial aid equation, but are receiving new attention in recent years. Understanding who gets private loans and their reasons for borrowing these loans is critical for policymaking, but little research has been done. This report explores the…

More than $25 billion in financial aid in 1988 is awarded annually to students attending postsecondary education. The aid covers about the same percentage of college costs that it did in 1970, but the impact of veterans' education benefits and social security benefits is no longer significant, and loans now make up one-half the total aid, having…

Rapid increases in college charges for tuitions, fees, and other costs of attendance are analyzed, through an examination of national data sources and case studies of individual institutions. Chapter 1 offers an overview of trends, assesses the causes of increasing college charges, and offers directions for additional research. Chapter 2 explores…

In the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act, Congress directed the National Center for Education Statistics to conduct a new study of higher education costs paid by institutions and prices paid by students and their families. This report contains commissioned papers prepared in support of this study and a summary of a meeting convened to…

Problems with the Reagan administration's proposal for an income contingent loan (ICL) program are discussed. From an institution's perspective, ICLs are likely to be a major administrative headache because colleges would be required to administer it. (MLW)

Explored the demographic and enrollment characteristics of undergraduate borrowers, as well as their risk for not persisting to degree completion and the various types of loans and other financial aid they received. Data are from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. (SLD)

A study that examined information on who receives aid from the major federal assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act is presented. The report is organized by program--Pell Grants, campus-based aid, and Guaranteed Student Loans. (MLW)

Information on GSL defaults in five states is reviewed: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Default rates are defined and levels of default are examined using a variety of analytical methods. (Author/MLW)

In the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act, Congress directed the National Center for Education Statistics to conduct a new study of higher education costs paid by institutions and prices paid by students and their families. This report is the final product of phase 1 of that study, which relied primarily on existing national data and…

This report examines the financing patterns and demographic characteristics of students at private, for-profit institutions. There are three levels of private, for-profit institutions: less-than-2-year, 2-year, and 4-year institutions. The analysis focuses on students attending 2-year and less-than-2-year, for-profit institutions. The high…

Creative ideas recently emerging to help families cope with rising educational costs are reviewed, including state and federal level savings plans, alternative loan programs, guaranteed access plans, and public service proposals. (Author/MSE)

A strengthened student aid partnership between the federal and state governments and colleges needs to use existing funds more efficiently, regulate how students receive aid more effectively, and delineate the rights and responsibilities of each of the major partners more adequately. Better cooperation would benefit taxpayers, institutions, and…

This paper explores the changing context for New Jersey's higher education system and implications for future access and opportunity. It highlights the state's existing major student aid programs, including how they are currently used and will be affected by future demand. Analyses are provided of contemporary approaches to addressing the issues…

Between 1991 and 1994, college student borrowing increased by 28% annually, higher than the national rate. The highest rates are among older, part-time, independent, and minority students. Rising debt and rising costs predict a growing problem of indebtedness among students. Social and economic consequences could be severe if this trend continues.…