Since need analysis represents the basic foundation for awarding financial aid, Ohio established a committee to acquaint new financial aid administrators and support staff with the uniform methodology and the construction of student budgets. Workshops are described and evaluated and schedules are provided. (MLW)

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)

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 reanalysis of American College Testing Program data found systematic relationships between student ability, family income, and college choice set characteristics for a general college-bound sample (n=6930) but not for students (n=254) who had applied for financial aid. Implications are drawn for using financial aid to increase student choice of…

A study of the financial aid applications of 2,979 parents of college students and of 136 independent students filing both actual and estimated income data on the applications found that contrary to Department of Education assumptions, procedures for income verification established by individual colleges produce effective and efficient results.…

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;…

Examines the total direct and indirect effects of receiving financial aid on persistence to degree using a subsample of 1989 freshmen from the Beginning Postsecondary Student Survey. Analysis shows that although simply receiving financial aid is unrelated to persistence, the effects of financial aid on persistence appear to depend on type and…

A study of graduate and professional student within-year persistence, based on the 1993 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, compared three models of the impact of financial aid on persistence. It was found that financial aid significantly and positively influenced within-year persistence, with comprehensive aid packages having the greatest…