This study builds on the work of scholars who have explored psychological perceptions of the student loan experience. Survey analysis ("N" = 175) revealed a multidimensional model was developed through factor analysis and testing, which revealed four latent variables: "Duress," "Mandatory," "Financial," and…

Federal higher education policy has shifted over the past few decades from grants to loans as the primary means for providing access to postsecondary education for low- and moderate-income families. With this shift, policy makers have begun tracking student loan default rates as a key indicator of the efficacy of student loan programs. This effort…

The results of a comprehensive survey of the California community college financial aid offices and data from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office provide insight into how financial aid office characteristics and financial aid policies and procedures affect the enrollment, retention, and success of financial aid students at the…

This exploratory study examines the factors that college students perceive are important in helping them make good financial decisions about paying for a college education. The study categorizes and summarizes students' self-reported responses to an open-ended survey question about recommendations for changes in financial aid counseling practices.…

The use of Cohort Default Rate (CDR) as the primary measure of student loan defaults among undergraduates was investigated. The study used data extracted from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), quantitative analysis of Likert-scale survey responses from 153 student financial aid professionals on proposed changes to present metrics and…

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…

During spring 2001, Noel-Levitz created a student loan default model for the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). The goal of this project was to identify students most likely to default, to identify as risk elements those characteristics that contributed to student loan default, and to use these risk elements to plan and implement targeted,…

The fourth Nellie Mae survey of student loan borrowers in repayment reveals that education debt burdens remain manageable for most borrowers. A clear majority of those in repayment report that the benefits of the educational opportunities made possible through borrowing are well worth any problems associated with paying off the loans. There are,…

Summarizes prior studies with a focus on untangling how changes in student financial aid policy have influenced changes in opportunity. Also recommends new strategies for lowering student loan debt, increasing federal and state cooperation in providing adequate need-based grant aid, and developing policies that target debt forgiveness for…

Analysis of data from 443 graduating college seniors found many students: (1) unaware of their total loan indebtedness and payment obligations (both over- and under-estimating debt payments); (2) borrowed to support "a better lifestyle," and (3) were unable to estimate realistically their post-graduation earnings and ability to meet repayment…

This survey concludes that, overall, student debt has not caused most borrowers to make lifestyles changes nor regret their educational investment. Discussion analyzes borrower debt levels; payment-to-income and debt-to-income ratios; noneducation debt burden; student perceptions about borrowing and debt; effect of borrowing on decision making;…

Analysis of the income-contingent repayment mechanism of the federal direct lending program suggests that it will be considerably more expensive than other repayment options in total interest costs for many; lead to hefty tax liabilities for some; be administratively cumbersome, vulnerable to fraud and abuse, and costly to taxpayers; and invite…

A discussion of the high level of student borrowing to pay for higher education looks at the situation today, examines college cost and aid trends, explores implications for the future if students continue to increase their borrowing, and offers a proposal to create a new generation of loan forgiveness programs through a public/private…

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.…

Since 1973, the Internal Revenue Service has considered all educational loan cancellations, where specific duties or employment is required, as taxable income. Implications for students, the courts, and federal legislation are discussed. (LBH)