METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FUNDING EDUCATION BY ACQUIRING SHARES OF STUDENTS FUTURE EARNINGS

A data processing system and method for administering a plan for funding investments in education is provided. The education investment plan includes a unit investment trust for financing the educations of a predetermined number of students pursuing careers in preselected fields of study. The data processing system selects students for participation in the plan by comparing their application responses in various categories, weighted according to a predetermined weighting scheme, to stored weighted criteria for the same categories. The education of accepted students is paid for by funds invested in the plan by investors. The students agree to assign a percentage of their future income for a limited time period to the plan, generating a return for the investors. Students are monitored throughout their education and employment until their obligations are discharged, with the results of the monitoring used to adjust, as necessary, the acceptance criteria. In order to offer the plan, plan earnings are projected based on multiple variables, and the projection may be performed according to statistical equations, or may be performed iteratively with a different variable varied during each iteration.