A college education benefits not only the individual, but society as a whole. Because they earn more, save more, and are unemployed less frequently, college graduates make fewer demands on the public purse and pay more taxes. When the federal government helps students attend college, it invests in our nation's future. Eligibility for most federal student aid is based on need. The amount of aid is determined by formulas that factor in family and individual income, and the cost of education.
TRIO programs help low-income students who are the first in their families to attend college.
Support services include counseling, tutoring, and mentoring. Graduate programs create incentives for bright students to enter fields that are critical but not necessarily lucrative. Investment in grant aid allows qualified students to pursue their higher education goals without excessive debt. Students are increasingly forced to finance their education through loans rather than grants or work-study. Loans accounted for just 20 percent of federal assistance in 1976, but in 1999 they make up more than three-quarters of it.