The series of exhibits in this Board Report present 1998-99 academic year need based and non-need based student financial aid information for Wisconsin resident undergraduates. the colleges and universities within the three different Wisconsin Higher Education Sectors provided the majority of the information reflected in these exhibits. The three sectors of colleges and universities include the Independent Colleges and Universities, The University of Wisconsin System, and the Wisconsin Technical College System. The first grouping of exhibits reflects all students from all sectors who receive need based assistance. The second, third, and fourth groupings show the same information as the first except that each is specific to a sector of schools. The last two groupings incorporate the non-need based assistance received by students who also receive need based assistance.

EXHIBITS A-H (Need Based Assistance - All Sectors)
These exhibits show the number of student financial aid recipients, total cost of education, total expected family contribution, total aid received by type and source along with total unmet need. As the data indicates, the number of aid recipients rose slightly (3%) in 1998-99. The average expected family contribution rose (13.3%) from the prior year as did the cost of education (3.6%). Total need-based financial aid decreased by 2.6%. This is due, in large part, to a change in the way data was collected. Through a re-definition of what constitutes need based and non-need based aid, most Institutional, Private and Other Assistance were excluded from the need based information sections and are now included in the non-need based information sections. This change was done to more accurately reflect how the institutions treat and award these types of aid. Loans continue to be the primary type of assistance students relied on in 1998-99, accounting for 48.39% of all need based aid. However, this percentage is a very slight decline over 1997-98. In terms of need based aid sources, state funded assistance increased, as did federally funded aid. The primary source of assistance in 1998-99 was, as it has been in the past, federally funded aid.

EXHIBITS I-L (Need Based Assistance - Independent Colleges and Universities)
The Independent College and University data for 1998-99 in some areas reflects different trends when compared to the previous year. The number of recipients increased by 1.4%. The cost increased by 2.5%. The family contribution increased by 22%. Because of the large increase in expected family contribution the total amount of unmet need dropped by 9.4%. The total amount of need-based aid fell by 4.2%. This is due to the re-definition of need based vs. non-need based aid and the increase in expected family contribution. The primary type of assistance continues to come in the form of grant assistance for students attending Independent Colleges and Universities. The majority of assistance is funded by the federal government, but to a much lesser extent compared to all sectors combined.

EXHIBITS M-P (Need Based Assistance - University of Wisconsin System)
The average cost of education (6.1%) and family contribution increased (10.7%) for students attending schools witin the University of Wisconsin System. The number of recipients increased by 4.9%, as did the financial need (4%) in 1998-99 compared to 1997-98. as in the other sectors, the total of need based aid decreased due to the re-definition of need based vs. non-need based aid. The great majority of funds in 1998-99 continue to come from loan sources and from programs funded by the federal government.

EXHIBITS Q-T (Need Based Assistance - Wisconsin Technical College System)
The number of recipients increased (1.1%) within the Wisconsin Technical College System. The cost of education (1%) and expected family contribution (7.3%) increased. The total need (-2.4%) and the total unmet need (-5.1%) decreased. This decrease is primarily due to the increase in expected family contribution. The average financial assistance decreased due primarily to the exclusion of non need based assistance in this section of the report. There is now a section specifically dedicated to non need based assistance. Just over half of assistance awarded was funded by grants. The great majority of aid awarded to students attending Wisconsin Technical Colleges was federally funded.

EXHIBITS U-X (Non Need Based Assistance - All Sectors Combined and Each Individual Sector)
This identifies the non-need-based assistance received by the students reported in the previous sections of this report. The first page combines all three sectors. The following three pages shows a breakdown by sector. As explained above, there is a substantial increase (34% in the number of awards and 26% in the total dollars) in the reporting of non-need based assistance due to the re-definition of the term this year.

EXHIBITS Y-Z (Need Based and Non Need Based Assistance Combined - All Sectors)
This section combines both the need based and the non-need based assistance information. How students finance the total cost of education is provided as is the source and type of need based and non-need based assistance. The majority of the cost of education is met by assistance that is based on financial need. Note that 8.24% of the total cost of education is met by unknown sources. This is down from 10.95% in 1997-98. The majority of need based and non-need based assistance combined is funded by federal loan assistance. Please keep in mind that, in some instances, certain programs, for example parental loans or unsubsidized Stafford Loans, substitute for familt contribution.