Access to Education

College Board: Tuition Rates Surge; Grant Increases Exceed Loan Increases
There's both good and bad news from the College Board's latest annual report on tuition levels and student aid. The bad news: State budget cuts forced many colleges and universities to increase tuition at rates well above the increases for recent years. The good news: A record $90 billion in financial aid was available for the 2001-2002 academic year, and increases in grant aid outpaced increases in loan aid for a second consecutive year. Read more.

Operations Bulletin

Department Releases New Deferment Forms
The U.S. Department of Education has approved new deferment request forms. The new forms are available for use immediately, and will be required for deferment requests submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2003. Detailed instructions for printing and reproducing the forms are available in GEN-02-08, or you can view and print the new deferment forms. In addition, GEN-02-09 corrects earlier guidance provided in GEN-02-07 regarding the approved Federal Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

Washington Report

Federal Higher-Education Spending Levels Remain Unsettled
Congress has adjourned, leaving future funding levels for higher-education programs undetermined. Read more.

Debt-Management Perspectives

Wabash College Wins Grant to Improve Student Retention Using Life Skills
Wabash College is using a grant to help it implement Life Skills^SM by using student facilitators in small-group settings. Read about the Wabash College success story.

USA Funds Update

USA Funds Promotes Early Awareness in Arizona
USA Funds and the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education have partnered to develop "Measuring Your Child's Progress," an information packet for the parents of Arizona eighth-grade students. Read more about this publication.

USA Funds Customer Profile: ITT Educational Services
ITT Educational Services, Inc., (ITT/ESI) is committed to excellence in technical education. Find out more about ITT/ESI.