▁or ▁board .” ▁Import antly , ▁it ▁also ▁notes ▁that ▁“ the ▁exception ▁to ▁this ▁general ▁pattern ▁is ▁mod est ▁aid ▁target ed ▁at ▁only ▁low - in come ▁students , ▁like ▁the ▁P ell ▁grant .” ▁The ▁center ▁uses ▁data ▁about ▁net ▁proceed s ▁( tu ition ▁plus ▁room , ▁board ▁and ▁other ▁fe es ) ▁as ▁a ▁percentage ▁of ▁median ▁income ▁to ▁show ▁that ▁financial ▁aid ▁practices ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁effective ▁in ▁decre asing ▁prices ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁increase ▁access . ▁Net ▁proceed s ▁at ▁public ▁four - year ▁institutions ▁rose ▁from ▁ 1 5 % ▁to ▁ 2 0 % ▁of ▁median ▁income ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁In ▁that ▁same ▁time , ▁product ivity ▁has ▁decl ined ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁l ighter ▁teaching ▁loads ▁for ▁profess ors ▁and ▁increased ▁exp end it ures ▁on ▁administrative ▁staff . ▁ ▁Non - need ▁based ▁financial ▁aid ▁ ▁Non - need ▁based ▁lo ans ▁are ▁available ▁for ▁students ▁and ▁families ▁who ▁cannot ▁afford ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁entire ▁cost ▁of ▁college . ▁These ▁lo ans ▁are ▁directed ▁toward ▁those ▁individuals ▁and ▁families ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁qual ify ▁for ▁need - based ▁lo ans ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁their ▁personal ▁assets . ▁There ▁is ▁usually ▁a ▁higher ▁interest ▁rate ▁associated ▁with ▁non - need ▁based ▁lo ans . ▁Because ▁these ▁lo ans ▁are ▁not ▁need - based , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁does ▁not ▁pay ▁the ▁interest ▁for ▁the ▁student ▁while