Student Aid and College Pricing Policy Briefs
Analyzing student borrowing patterns
To contribute to the national debate on the affordability of higher education, the College Board will produce a series of periodic policy briefs on issues relating to college prices and student aid. In the first of these briefs, Patricia Steele and Sandy Baum, authors of the Trends in Higher Education publications, analyze new information about student borrowing patterns, highlighting information that is not often discussed.
"How Much Are College Students Borrowing?" analyzes data about patterns of student debt from the new U.S. Department of Education's National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. The analysis reveals both positive and negative news from the NPSAS data. Most students accumulate manageable levels of debt, but there is reason for concern about the growing minority borrowing more than they are likely to be able to comfortably repay. The brief includes details about both debt levels at graduation and borrowing for the 2007-08 academic year.
How Much Are College Students Borrowing? (.pdf/221K)
Read the press release.