Student Loans: Limited Information Is Available to Determine How Students' College Debt Affects Their School and Lifestyle Decisions

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the availability of information on the extent to which students' debt or anticipated debt affected: (1) students' choices about whether and where to enroll in college or whether or how much to borrow in order to attend; (2) the length of time it took baccalaureate graduates to earn their degree and their choices regarding graduate school and employment; and (3) graduates' burden of repayment as reflected by their ability to save for retirement or invest in a home.