"For nearly four decades, the federal government had no authority to regulate cost of attendance, a figure calculated by colleges and universities that estimates how much a student will pay to attend the institution," Inside Higher Ed reports.

... "But financial aid offices don’t feel regulations are the way forward, according to Sarah Austin, regulatory specialist for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. While she agrees that COA miscalculations are a major issue, she said she 'wouldn’t necessarily go as far as saying the department should regulate cost of attendance.'"

"That’s because there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution for coming up with accurate COA estimates, she said, and she worries that potential regulations could make estimates less accurate for some institutions, even if they are helpful for others."

"'We just don’t want our members to be pigeonholed into one way of doing things when we understand how much flexibility may be needed,' she said. The organization is planning to release its own research into COA in the near future."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 1/8/2025