New Data Show How Students Fare After Graduate School

At 24 institutions, students have accumulated more than $25 million in interest five years into repayment, while at one university, balances grew by $289 million.

The Council of Graduate Schools wants to see a number of changes to federal student loans that it says would make the system more accessible to graduate students. Those changes include expanding Pell Grant eligibility from 12 to 18 semesters, which would allow students to put the funds toward a graduate or professional degree.

Julia Kent, vice president for best practices and strategic initiatives at the Council of Graduate Schools, said the council also supports reinstating subsidized direct loans for graduate students, which don’t accrue interest while the student is in school.