Brought to you by:

Navient^SM Actively supporting loan customers and guiding them toward success. We keep borrowers informed with timely, relevant communication and online tools and resources while providing your office the help you need and detailed reporting metrics. For more information, visit navient.com/schools.

Ten years ago, student loan debt wasn’t a topic that captured many headlines. There weren’t discussions about the financial ramifications it could have on society. And it certainly wasn’t a major topic in presidential elections.

"In recent months, along with continued focus on student debt levels and college costs, public attention has also turned to college and university endowments. Opinion pieces critical of large university endowments have appeared in national media outlets," Liz Clark, director of federal affairs for the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), writes for NASFAA's Student Aid Perspectives series. "However, some of these conversations have reflected a misunderstanding of the charitable giving directed toward endowments and how they are used by institutions." 

Another income-driven repayment is on the way, according to one of two sets of final rules that were officially released last week. The REPAYE repayment plan will be available to borrowers beginning in December 2015.

Despite the social and financial benefits associated with earning a college degree, few graduates are thriving in five different measures of well-being – and in some cases, minority graduates are worse off, according to a new survey released Tuesday by Gallup and USA Funds.

Participating in the NASFAA election process is an important way to contribute to your association. Start by nominating a colleague today. NASFAA holds elections each year to select members to serve on its Board of Directors, which provides oversight and guidance for the direction of the Association. The nomination deadline is Wednesday, September 25, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) "MyStudentData Download" functionality has been enhanced on the NSLDS Student Access and StudentAid.gov Web sites. MyStudentData Download allows students to download their loan, grant, enrollment, overpayment, and program enrollment information from NSLDS into a machine-readable, plain text file.

Attached is the NSLDS MyStudentData Download File Layout.

"The Obama administration rolled out two new rules Tuesday that will make it harder for schools to force students to use prepaid debit cards and give 5 million more college graduates the ability to enroll in income-based repayment plans," Yahoo! Finance reports. NASFAA's Karen McCarthy is quoted in the article.

"The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday finalized the regulations carrying out President Obama's expansion of the government's most generous income-based repayment program to more federal student loan borrowers," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"Perhaps the college application process should be preceded by a trigger warning. For students, it’s the season of stress. Admissions deans aren’t so fond of it, either. They complain of a system that is rushed, less revealing than they would like and 'very transactional,' as Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale, puts it. At both ends of the admissions game — picking a freshman class or applying for a spot in one — the experience is vexing," according to The New York Times.

"Federal law does not prohibit undocumented students from enrolling in college, but it does something nearly as effective, banning them from receiving government aid. In recent years, though, some undocumented students have stumbled upon a little-known, nonprofit online university that doesn't charge tuition and doesn't care about students' legal status," according to NPR.

"Unlike many of his peers before him, David Simmons is determined to go to college," The Detroit News reports. "The high school senior has spent his life in Baldwin, a village in rural northwestern Michigan with a close-knit feel that could lure him into sticking around. But he is heeding the push to leave his roots near Ludington and get a higher education — especially since both of his parents are unemployed."

"Large and growing gaps in SAT scores, by race and ethnicity, are nothing new," Inside Higher Ed reports. "But a new, long-term analysis of SAT scores has found that, among applicants to the University of California's campuses, race and ethnicity have become stronger predictors of SAT scores than family income and parental education levels."

"A Washington Post op ed displays with unusual clarity the growing disconnect between the higher education establishment and the society it serves," Tom Lindsay writes for Forbes.

"Earlier this past summer, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would eliminate a student’s opportunity to list in rank order the colleges and universities to which he or she had submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Many in higher education, and most involved in college counseling, applauded the decision," W. Kent Barnds writes in an opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed.

"Boot camps may tout their high job placement rates, but they are not cheap for students," Robert Kelchen writes for Washington Monthly's College Guide. "... Unlike for most undergraduate and graduate programs through traditional colleges, these programs are currently not eligible for federal financial aid dollars. This means that students have two options to pay for these programs: paying out of pocket or taking out a private loan."

"Community colleges have long operated in the shadows of more expensive, elite four-year colleges, but worries about the cost of college are now drawing students to these two-year programs. A new survey by WGBH News shows Americans believe strongly that community colleges are essential to providing families with opportunities," Kirk Carapezza writes for WGBH's On Campus blog.

VIEW NEXT ISSUE

Contact us to submit questions, content or to purchase advertisements.