The University of Oregon's financial aid director describes the success of the Federal Direct Student Loan program in its first year at the institution. No significant program disadvantages were experienced, and its advantages included flexibility of administration, ease of data management with the servicer, decrease in office workload, and…

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a complex form completed annually by millions of postsecondary students applying for federal financial aid. Errors frequently require resubmission. It is suggested that cognitive psychology principles that help describe how people understand text and complete forms be applied to a redesigned…

A discussion of debt burden, particularly for college students and graduates, looks at recent research, discusses borrower perceptions of debt burdens and excessive debt, analyzes debt-to-income ratios, and synthesizes these ideas into a universal model. Data from a 1990 state survey of borrowers by the Iowa College Student Aid Commission.…

Analysis of data from National Education Longitudinal Study found that a third of parents of high school seniors had not begun preparing for college costs and a quarter had begun only recently. Most did not expect savings to cover costs and had investigated financial aid but relatively few had applied. Grants, scholarships, and fellowships were…

Florida State University has implemented a financial aid delivery system that uses electronic fund transfer and an administrative voice message system to automatically notify the student of all financial aid transfers and provide detailed information on transactions. The system has streamlined the delivery process, and user response has been…

A survey of parents of college-bound high school students (1996 and 1997-99) considered separately) found widespread belief that college education is a worthwhile investment for economic and personal reasons, despite high cost. Most could provide cost figures for public colleges. Expected sources for funding college varied. Many save little for…

A recent Department of Education study, developed with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service, found that of 2.3 million Pell Grants in 1995-96, 102,000 went to students who failed to report or underreported family income. More than 300 recipients had each underreported income by over $100,000. The report comes when the Clinton…

Many private colleges are reporting the lowest percentage tuition increases in a decade or more, four to five% at many institutions, but most increases still outpace inflation. A major reason for increasing tuition is to meet rising demand for student aid. Also, many institutional expenses are higher than for the average consumer, and facilities…

In 1995-96, a leveling of state spending on student financial aid ended a five-year period of rapid growth. Most of the aid is in the form of need-based grants to undergraduates. Four states slashed need-based aid expenditures by over 10%, and 10 increased it by over 10%. Reductions are attributed to competition for funds. (MSE)

Reviews Title IX and its three components: (1) accommodation of interests and abilities; (2) athletic financial assistance; and (3) other program areas. Sidebars include a 12-point test to assess knowledge of Title IX and a list of compliance issues. (LMI)

A study investigated the implementation costs of direct lending in 77 diverse colleges and universities, including both increases and decreases in institutional expenditures. Results indicate that start-up costs varied greatly, that the institution's loan volume was related to the cost and savings experienced, and that costs and savings were…

Examines the enrollment and persistence decisions of 674 applicants accepted at one university in the fall of 1992. Results indicate that the university is fulfilling community needs for place-bound students, women students, full-time students, and those students needing a supportive environment. Illustrates how research on aid can benefit…

Examines affirmative action in higher education and the different legal challenges faced by this policy. Explores the need for diversity and discusses the many obstacles which still block equal opportunities in education. Offers some solutions to the problem of equality, such as tuition aid, Pell grants, and pre-collegiate outreach. (RJM)

Places the financial pressures faced by students, their parents, and colleges and universities in paying higher education costs within the context of long-run, pendulumlike swings in society's interest in promoting access to higher education and enhancing its quality. Higher education is in a transitional period and moving toward improving…

It is argued that public investment in student financial aid should be evaluated based on tax revenue returns resulting from the expenditure. A model for estimating tax revenue returns from gains in educational attainment attributable to student aid is developed, and impact of aid on access and persistence is examined. (Author/MSE)