A policy analysis warns that new federal limits on graduate lending—eliminating Graduate PLUS and imposing lifetime borrowing caps—will reconfigure who can afford advanced degrees and reshape the U.S. talent pipeline. The proposed caps would leave many professional and workforce‑critical programs underfunded, pushing students toward private credit or deterring enrollment. - Business‑school research highlights that the MBA remains a high‑value pathway: industry surveys (GMAC) show employers still prize critical reasoning and data literacy, and new research argues the GMAT continues to signal readiness for graduate management education. Schools worry combined fiscal pressure and borrowing constraints could compress pipelines for mid‑career advancement and leadership roles. - Universities, employers, and accrediting bodies may have to redesign financing models, expand employer tuition support, and rethink credentialing to preserve access to advanced study for candidates without family wealth.