For-profit higher education institutions have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, largely free of federal regulation. That freedom would be significantly curtailed if the gainful employment standard takes effect. Vocational training programs would be judged by the ratio of the debt that graduates assume relative to their current earnings…

Site visits to a sample of 173 colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, and other postsecondary institutions--conducted to examine the procedures used to manage federal Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (BEOG) and campus-based student financial assistance programs--are summarized. This report deals only with the conduct of the…

These training materials were designed to be used by participants at a National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) workshop which explains how to use the NSLDS Web site. Following an overview, the guide is organized into four sessions: (1) students' access and use of the NSLDS Web site; (2) navigating the financial aid professional Web site; (3)…

The report presents the findings of the Financial Aid Services Survey at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC). The survey sought to determine student satisfaction with financial aid services at both the College Financial Aid Office and the campus Financial Aid Information Services. More than 1,700 students who had been in contact with…

This form is used to renew an application for federal and state student grants, work-study, and loans. The form begins with instructions, deadline dates for state student aid, and instructions on renewing an application on the Web. Sections of the application request borrower (student) information, student and spouse income and assets, student…

This report first describes the aid application procedures aid administrators used to determine award eligibility, and the use of professional judgment to adjust students' aid application data. Next, the report describes the number of students who received financial aid, the funding and distribution of institutional scholarships, and student loan…

There is no constituency that is as demanding as the higher education constituency, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education suggests. Continuous communication with legislators is urged and the importance of student aid officers is emphasized. (MLW)

This special section contains four articles on using technology to improve student financial aid services: (1) "The Technology Pyramid" (advice on the transition from paper to paperless systems); (2) "Strengthening Our Security"; (3) "COD: Moving toward a Universal Delivery System" (about the government's new Common Origin and Disbursement…

Drawing on results of a Florida project, it is argued that statewide evaluation of college student financial aid programs, involving institutional aid officers, system-level administrators, and others may promote change beneficial to students and administrators. Emphasis is on the role institutional aid administrators can play in such a…

The many changes that have taken place in the college student financial aid system in recent years have necessitated a series of operational and programmatic adjustments for financial aid administrators and their offices. Changes include increased aid availability, complexity of student circumstances, and regulation. Even greater program…

The 2014 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 50th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The Digest has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American…

The FSA Five-Year Strategic Plan is a roadmap for FY 2004-2008 that identifies five long-range strategic objectives, tactical short-term goals, and performance management initiatives. In working toward the goals outlined in the plan, FSA will address a number of key challenges, including legacy system migration, business process re-engineering,…

This report investigates enrollment patterns and academic outcomes in online, hybrid, and face-to-face courses among students who enrolled in Washington State community and technical colleges in the fall of 2004. Students were tracked for nearly five years, until the spring of 2009. Results were similar to those found in a parallel study in…

The 2011 edition of "Minnesota Measures: Report on Higher Education Performance" reflects a new approach to reporting on the effectiveness of postsecondary education within the state. The report covers key measures of postsecondary effectiveness as in the previous three editions of the report but is grounded in the students' experience…

College completion remains one of the most compelling and vexing policy issues in higher education today. Although access to higher education has increased substantially over the past three decades, student success in college as measured by degree completion has not improved significantly. There is a great disparity in the percentage of low-income…