Colleges, universities, and the communities they serve have always been concerned about students' abilities to pay and the systems of aid to support students' learning. This article reviews the history of aiding student in higher education. Early student- and institutionally-led programs are discussed along with initial philanthropic and…

Data from all 2010-2011 undergraduate students, who received a Pell Grant disbursement at Kentucky's two-year and four-year public institutions, were used to simulate the eligibility changes to the Pell Grant program in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 and from the termination of year-round Pell. Specifically, these changes: a) the…

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first and most important step for students to receive their portion of the billions of grant aid dollars disbursed in federal student financial aid; however, every year many low income and community college students fail to complete the FAFSA. Over the past twenty years,…

Despite the substantial size of the population, relatively little research has focused on the status and experiences of undergraduate parents. Using descriptive analyses of data from the NPSAS:04, this study provides a starting point for campus administrators, public policymakers, and educational researchers who seek to identify ways to better…

This article uses the 2005 Basic Classifications of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a framing device through which to examine patterns of student financial aid at America's rural community colleges, which represent 64% of all U.S. community colleges. Rural community colleges serve more first-time, full-time students than…

As student loan indebtedness has more than doubled in the past decade, it has become important to examine the effects of undergraduate debt on graduate school attendance. The significant increase in student borrowing can be attributed primarily to the passage of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, which increased federal student loan limits…

Rapid tuition increases over the last few decades have made public institutions much less affordable than they once were. This and other policy changes may be affecting college enrollment rates across the country. This article examines how student preparation and college supply interact with the usual factors of tuition, financial aid, and family…

This article describes some of the special financial aid needs of students with disabilities and the policy implications of those needs. It focuses on the financial burdens of having a disability, the time demands faced by those with disabilities, the multiple and complex sources from which students with disabilities derive support, and the…

A recent article in the "New York Times" observed that the formula used by the federal government to distribute federal student aid funds favors the colleges and universities with greatest resources over those which are less well off ("New York Times," 2003). The story, "Richest Colleges Receive Richest Share of Federal Aid" by Greg Winter,…

It is argued that rising costs and declining federal student loan programs highlight the key role of the in-school interest subsidy in educational finance. Six possible scenarios are outlined, each differentially balancing indirect/direct lending and government/private involvement. Professionals are urged to find a program that serves students, is…

A study identified overall changes in college-going behavior before and after the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program, based on a comparison of the high school graduating classes of 1972 and 1982. Results suggest that federal efforts to increase access to higher education have been constrained by heavy reliance on test scores in college…

Findings of a University of Wyoming study suggest that the BEOG program is accomplishing its purpose: making students from low resource families equal to students from more affluent families in their opportunity to persist, achieve, and graduate from higher education institutions. BEOG and non-BEOG recipients are equal in their capabilities for…

A study is reported that sought to determine the extent of utilization of federal student aid programs at proprietary schools, to assess the role of federal support for needy students enrolled at proprietary schools, and to evaluate the relationship of financial aid to the recruitment and training of students. (JMD)

A research study is described that shows that administrative approaches placing the initiative for federal work-study job placement upon the student can improve program efficiency, without significantly affecting administrative effectiveness. Other possible advantages for the student employer and institution are also discussed. (Author/LBH)

With the guidelines apparently established in recent court litigation, it is likely that many more publicly-financed programs of aid to students in private institutions will develop according to the needs and ideas in different states. (Author/LBH)