Virginia has developed a state training program for student financial aid administrators. It is coordinated with two previously separate programs, is cost efficient, and has resolved the issues of who should train, what materials should be included, when training should be conducted, and where training should occur. (JMD)

Reports a study that sought to estimate the individual costs and benefits of traditional and adult undergraduates of North Carolina State University, to estimate the undergraduates' individual rates of return, and, most importantly, to ascertain any differences in costs, benefits, and rates of return between traditional and adult students. (JMD)

Financial aid counseling and outreach programs at the University of California, Davis, are described. Counseling services include: an intake interviewer, student interns, a hot-line program, and drop-in counseling. Workshops, a newsletter, and summer residential programs for low-income and minority groups are among the outreach services. (JMD)

Major questions identified by the conference participants dealt with the following issues: goals and commitments of financial aid; funding of financial aid; operation of the student aid system; governance of student aid; and outlook in terms of demand and delivery systems. (LBH)

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 1976-77 survey of 2,000 Illinois grant recipients gathered data on students' actual dollar expenses for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, medical/dental expenses, transportation, clothing, entertainment, personal items, child care, support to relatives, and "other." Typical expenditures were analyzed for different subgroups.…

A sample of nonpersisting students is compared with persisting counterparts at Pepperdine University in terms of receipt of financial aid, grades awarded, etc. The findings suggest that financial aid is awarded to students with a higher probability of persisting to the end of the term. (LBH)

A model training module is described that offers high school counselors familiarity with student financial aid options for college-bound students. The package includes information on need analysis, definitions of aid available, identification of major resource areas, Michigan aggregate dollar statistics, and a list of policy-related questions.…

A study that sought to determine by what means and with what frequency Boston College undergraduates with unmet financial aid need actually financed their educational expenses is reported. Parental contributions, student earnings, student borrowing, and other methods by which students may have filled the gap are considered. (JMD)

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)

In response to Lee Hansen and Burton Weisbrod's study conducted over a decade ago, California policy has attempted to shift a greater portion of the burden of support for higher education from lower income families. A recent reexamination of the study by Joseph McGuire that disputes the original study is challenged. (JMD)

A staffing formula for college financial aid offices is presented. The formula assigns staff and clerical positions according to three components: number of students (at least half-time); number of applications for aid received per year; and the dollar amount of funds administered. (JMD)

In order to assess the adequacy of the standardized budgets used by the Financial Aid Office at Iowa State University, they were compared with the self-reported budgets of a selected group of student aid recipients. Instructional and noninstructional expenses, state residency, marital status, and dependency status were considered. (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)