2008 Woodie Awards
Commentary: Government sets high criteria for receiving financial aid
Courtney Brogdon
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Some people think the dividing line between who gets financial aid and who gets a Pell grant is unfair.
Many high school graduates abandon the thought of pursuing a college education because of the tremendous expense involved. Nationwide tuition costs continue to rise each year, but there is help available for any student who wants to pursue higher education.
Controversy unfolds when people who either don't have parents to help them out or who live on their own and don't receive any help whatsoever can't get financial aid.
Granted, you can apply for financial aid and patiently wait on your loan to go through just so you can go to school for a semester or two, but who honestly wants to pay back money just to go to school? School should be rewarding and fun, not long and stressful.
Many students either drop a few classes each semester just to keep up, or they drop out completely because they can't handle the stress of having to work more than 40 hours a week to keep up with bills and doing school work almost every night at the same time.
Most students don't receive Pell grants because they either don't meet the requirements of having children, being married, being over age 25, being a retired veteran or their parents make way too much money.
That's where it's not fair. There are a lot of students who live on their own, pay for all their stuff, don't get any help from their parents and still are expected to go through school. How is it honestly fair to have the government sit there and say it's OK to claim your own money and be on your own when you can't get any help from them to go to school?
According to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, "Federal Pell grants are the cornerstone of our need-based financial aid system ensuring that all students with low income have access to higher education and attend college."
Well, I think that if you are qualified as low-income and on your own at 18 or even 40 years old, the government should treat the system equally.
Parents should expect to pay at least half to two-thirds of their children's college costs through a combination of savings, current income and loans. Gift aid from the government, the colleges and universities and private scholarships accounts for only about a third of total college costs.
It is important that parents start saving for their children's education as soon as possible, even as early as the day the child is born.
Time is one of your most valuable assets. The sooner you start saving for college, the more time your money will have to grow.
Many high school graduates abandon the thought of pursuing a college education because of the tremendous expense involved. Nationwide tuition costs continue to rise each year, but there is help available for any student who wants to pursue higher education.
Controversy unfolds when people who either don't have parents to help them out or who live on their own and don't receive any help whatsoever can't get financial aid.
Granted, you can apply for financial aid and patiently wait on your loan to go through just so you can go to school for a semester or two, but who honestly wants to pay back money just to go to school? School should be rewarding and fun, not long and stressful.
Many students either drop a few classes each semester just to keep up, or they drop out completely because they can't handle the stress of having to work more than 40 hours a week to keep up with bills and doing school work almost every night at the same time.
Most students don't receive Pell grants because they either don't meet the requirements of having children, being married, being over age 25, being a retired veteran or their parents make way too much money.
That's where it's not fair. There are a lot of students who live on their own, pay for all their stuff, don't get any help from their parents and still are expected to go through school. How is it honestly fair to have the government sit there and say it's OK to claim your own money and be on your own when you can't get any help from them to go to school?
According to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, "Federal Pell grants are the cornerstone of our need-based financial aid system ensuring that all students with low income have access to higher education and attend college."
Well, I think that if you are qualified as low-income and on your own at 18 or even 40 years old, the government should treat the system equally.
Parents should expect to pay at least half to two-thirds of their children's college costs through a combination of savings, current income and loans. Gift aid from the government, the colleges and universities and private scholarships accounts for only about a third of total college costs.
It is important that parents start saving for their children's education as soon as possible, even as early as the day the child is born.
Time is one of your most valuable assets. The sooner you start saving for college, the more time your money will have to grow.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
BJackson
Bob Jackson
posted 10/19/06 @ 2:00 PM CST
While I agree financial aid is often a frustrating process and I also agree school should be "rewarding and fun" it is not the place of the government or parents alone to assure an education. (Continued…)
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