Student Aid Policy

Free public college would end our nation’s addiction to debt-financed higher education, writes David Bergeron, a worthy goal even if private colleges will need to make adjustments.

Education Department releases regulations to protect student borrowers against fraudulent and abusive institutions. Although rules are aimed at for-profit colleges, critics say they could have repercussions for all colleges.

Student borrowing drops for the fifth straight year as the rate of tuition increases slows.

Consumer advocates say a Brookings study highlights the need for comprehensive federal data on the relationship between college loan debt and race.

Michigan uses millions in federal welfare funds for grants to private colleges -- and some of the money flows to students from middle class and affluent families.

While political support in Washington builds slowly for a federal student record database, Indiana and the University of Texas System get creative with their own data on how students fare after college.

Admissions counselors raise concerns over some colleges packaging PLUS loans in financial aid award letters, possibly misleading families about cost of attendance.

Does performance funding for higher education actually work? According to the authors of a new book on the topic, the answer is both yes and no.