United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-03-23 monographic deposited born digital 55 p. GA 1.13:HEHS-95-48 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48 P0b002ee18038bd78 f:he95048 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48 HEHS-95-48 Grant administration Colleges/universities Disadvantaged persons Student financial aid Educational grants Student loans Higher education Aid for education Attrition rates Minorities Pell Grant Federal Family Education Loan Program Dept. of Education Stafford Student Loan Program Dept. of Education Supplemental Loans for Students Program Dept. of Education Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students Program Letter Report HEHS Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed how student financial aid affects low-income students' dropout rates, focusing on whether: (1) the timing of loan and grant aid influences students dropout rates; and (2) restructuring federal grant programs could improve low-income students' dropout rates.<p/>GAO found that: (1) grants and loans do not have the same effects on reducing low-income college student dropout rates; (2) although grant aid generally lowers low-income students' dropout rates, loans have no significant impact on these students' dropout rates; (3) the timing of grant aid greatly influences students' dropout rates; (4) grant aid to low-income students is more effective during the first school year than in subsequent years; (5) although financial aid program participants have substantially lower dropout rates than other comparable students, financial aid directors and students have mixed views on the potential efficacy of frontloading aid packages; (6) a pilot program could be valuable in evaluating the cost effects of frontloading student aid for low-income college students; and (7) Department of Education officials need to further review their legislative authority to determine whether they are authorized to conduct such a pilot project. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48/html/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48/pdf/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48.pdf GAO/HEHS-95-48 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-HEHS-95-48 Letter Report GAO/HEHS-95-48; Higher Education: Restructuring Student Aid Could Reduce Low-Income Student Dropout Rate; Grant administration Colleges/universities Disadvantaged persons Student financial aid Educational grants Student loans Higher education Aid for education Attrition rates Minorities Pell Grant Federal Family Education Loan Program Dept. of Education Stafford Student Loan Program Dept. of Education Supplemental Loans for Students Program Dept. of Education Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students Program