New reporting highlights how student debt outcomes may be worsening as colleges use enrollment management tactics and financial aid “leveraging.” A New America analysis found that institutions often discount tuition heavily for higher-income students while lower-income students face larger remaining gaps, frequently filled by Parent PLUS loans. The article also points to a policy shift that will cap lifetime Parent PLUS borrowing at $65,000 per student under a new spending and tax law taking effect this summer. The interview suggests the borrowing reduction may still leave families strained if aid strategies continue to shift costs onto low-income borrowers.