For many first-generation students, it's the "hidden costs" of college—including textbooks and materials associated with coursework—that can often be a barrier to higher education. 

Some colleges and universities are taking note, launching textbook access programs to dramatically reduce or eliminate the cost of course materials. But now a proposed federal rule could put those efforts in jeopardy.

More than a decade ago, a for-profit college chain opened an outpost in Milwaukee: Everest College, owned by Corinthian Colleges. Soon after, Corinthian became one of the most well-known and devastating examples of a for-profit college collapse—it shut down in 2015 mired in legal and regulatory challenges, overnight leaving about 16,000 students without an educational path.

Against the backdrop of Everest’s tumultuous tenure, the arrival of another for-profit in Wisconsin—the Arizona College of Nursing—is stirring apprehension among consumer protection and education advocates.

Students whose parents lack a Social Security number can finally fill out federal financial aid forms after the U.S. Department of Higher Education announced a workaround this week for one of the most glaring problems with what was supposed to be a simpler, easier Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

A permanent solution, however, isn't expected until March. And some college-access advocates predict that the current workaround could ultimately end up creating more confusion for many students, families, and counselors.