Session Description

After 5 years of borrowers not making payments on their loans, the shadow of cohort default rates (CDR) falls on all colleges again. Federal Student Aid numbers show that over 9 million borrowers will default in October 2025. Almost 30 percent of borrowers in the 2024 and 2025 cohorts are currently delinquent. The national default rate is expected to go up to levels not seen since the early 1990s. The session will provide information on major impacts of the FSA workforce reduction; anticipate systems and operations gaps; loan servicing and oversight of contractors; and how all this will affect colleges and their CDR. The session will explore a revamped, post-COVID approach to borrower engagement—shifting the mindset from forgiveness expectations to active repayment. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your institution’s CDR strategy with up-to-date insights and actionable tools.