In its third year, direct lending is working well for college students and administration. It is a simpler, faster, more efficient way of getting loan funds to students that cuts out financial middlemen. It helps students manage their finances better when repaying loans, promotes competition, stimulates program innovation, leads to greater…

Department of Education regulations and initiatives designed to address problems of fraud, abuse, and loan default in federal student aid programs are examined. The scope and intrusiveness of some recent regulations are criticized, and unintended effects are noted, including increased administrative burdens on all institutions. (Author/MSE)

A survey investigated the status of a program that simultaneously encourages minority health occupations graduates to pursue teaching and helps repay their student loans. The federal program, with 16 schools and 35 students participating, has been instrumental in recruiting teachers, but has not resolved financial difficulties for some…

Distribution of federal expenditures for interest benefits, special allowance payments, default claims reinsurance, and administrative cost allowances among over 61,000 borrowers is described, including in-school, grace and repayment periods by institution type, years enrolled, dependency status, and family financial circumstances. (Author/MSE)

A mail survey was conducted of alumnae or students who left Sweet Briar between 1979 and 1986. The study was to solicit information about attitudes toward educational loan debt which could be used in counseling current and prospective students, evaluating award packaging policies, and responding to legislation affecting student loans. (MLW)

A survey of 1,720 second-year undergraduates at the University of Brighton (England) gathered basic demographic information and data on their financial status, including the form(s) of student financial aid applied for and awarded, parent contributions and other income sources, housing, transportation, and school and other costs. (MSE)

The effect of indebtedness (undergraduate loan burden) after college graduation on the decision to pursue a graduate degree was studied for 899 individuals from the High School and Beyond study. Level of undergraduate debt was not a significant choice determinant. Some limitations of the methodology are discussed. (SLD)

Issues in the evolution of Brazil's higher education system are discussed, including growth during the 1970s in the private sector, the need to improve access to education for low-income groups, and the need for a system of loans and scholarships to compensate for inequities in elementary and secondary education. (Author/MSE)

College students today face heavy student loan debt that is intensified by the amount of credit card debt they carry. This study provides a profile of financially at-risk students based on their credit card usage behavior. When compared to the non-financially at-risk students, those in the financially at-risk group were found to have higher…

Over the last century, Americans have formed a social contract with higher education through the development of and changes to student financial aid programs. These federal, state, and institutional programs are the manifestation of the value we place on who should and who does pay the costs of higher education. Grants versus loans and low-income…

Concerns have been raised about the Department of Education's (Education) role in overseeing the lenders and schools that participate in the largest of the federal government's student loan programs, the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). GAO was asked to analyze Education's use of its oversight, guidance, and enforcement authorities…

Many high school students are not aware that they may be eligible for college financial aid. The primary purpose of this book is to help high school guidance counselors advise students about financial aid for postsecondary education. The text is divided into three parts. Part 1 offers general information about postsecondary opportunities and…

This statement of Cornelia M. Blanchette to the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Reources discusses Department of Education information management systems that support the financial aid programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. These programs help the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), the…

This report presents the goals and intentions of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) for the next 5 years. It describes the development of this plan, the place of NASFAA in environmental and historical contexts, and how the plan will be implemented and monitored. Goals for NASFAA activities include to: (1)…

This paper responds to a congressional request for more information concerning first, the potential cost savings from direct rather than guaranteed student loans and second, the ability of the Department of Education and postsecondary institutions to effectively manage a direct lending program. The report: (1) provides a more complete analysis of…