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It's becoming harder and harder NOW. My youngest is a Junior in college. She won a full academic scholarship. It was full until this year when they quit paying for housing, meals, etc. Not only did SHE have to take out a student loan, WE did too!
Its crazy.
Linda
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Originally Posted by adorkablex
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Originally Posted by adorkablex
Bravo! Thank YOU! It IS frustrating, isn't it? I went through the same thing before we had children and I wanted to go back to college. We were not making much money at all and I applied for help. I was basically told to come back when I had a couple of kids. This was in a classroom during a financial aid meeting. I DID actually comment, "So, if I had a few kids I could get all the financial aid I wanted. Especially if I were SINGLE???" The room went silent. One lady yelled at me. I told her I didn't care and that it was UNFAIR that people got a free ride simply because of having children. Then I told them where to stick their financial aid and walked out.
People, ya'll can flame me if you want to for my commentary. I back it up and I would say it again. It is unfair that some have to struggle and some get a free ride simply for populating the Earth.
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Originally Posted by llbriteyes
That is TOTALLY unfair that she worked hard to win that scholarship and now they decide to change the way they pay mid-stream. Is there some legal recourse for this? So unfair.
The college which I graduated from hiked tuition every year. It is a private college, and if I hadn't have knocked myself out in high school getting the best grades and being in so many organizations, etc, then I wouldn't have got the merit-based scholarships that I did. I actually got enough at that college than what it would have taken me to go the university or another state college. I worked, as a work-study, in the Office of Admission, so I had an inside look at how financial planning and all that can really mess someone's award package up...to the point you think you got the wrong paper. My father and I went to visit the Director every year to get my money back to the way it should be. A lot of students/parents either don't care or don't think that they can do anything to get their money back, but you have to fight and push to get fiancial aid and then keep it. My parents, too, made too much for any grants, but then we weren't rich either. We, like a great percentage of families, make enough to be over limits but not rich enough to completely fund a college education. I am very fortunate, as is my husband, so I can't complain too much. The one good thing about Direct Loans and such is that you can set-up different payment plans and when the time of the loan is dues at any time. Right now if the interest is still low, I would lock it in (for those of you who are paying right now). We were able to lock hubby's in at 3.? percent. We consolidated mine when I graduated and at that time 6 percent was a good rate, so mine is locked in for 6 something.
Our income is roughly 23K a year. I have 4 boys, 2 in HS and 2 at private universities. They both have received academic scholarships, get Pell, Il Monetary awards and both were state scholars. Guess what? My kids and my hubby have to take out loans to pay for their educations. The only ones who seem to get a free ride are those that are minorities and on welfare. We figured it out that someone with our family size actually receives more $$$$ and benefits than we earn working. Figure college costs into that factor and it is way disproportionate.
How the schools and government figure that we can pay 1/2 our income to 2 universities and still manage to support ourselves and 2 other kids is beyond me.
Me :p
And whats really wrong is when they take your parents income into the mix to qualify for this or that. Parent's Portion of the bill. lol What a joke. We can't afford to pay that amount. That's just wrong.
Linda
The government says at 19 no freebies unless a pregnant woman or you have a kid, because you are an adult. The law says 18 to sign contracts etc., yet colleges say 22 years old and they must have your parents income. We need some standardization. I say 18. I dont mind helping out but they want way too much.
Me
I agree with all the above posters. It kills me my parents haven't paid for a dime of my college or anything else for me, yet they figure in their income with financial aid. Then when I get my financial aid info from the state, my SCHOOL reviews my application and they have the right to cut my aid! Its a mess, I went to the office last year and gave them he** until they gave me all my money. I'm always tempted to check a box other than caucasian on the application forms and see what happens lol. I wish college was free for kids who deserved it and tried hard. It is in most other countries. Really tells ya where your nations priorities lie. Good luck OP! You're probably more serious about your classes than you would be if you got a free ride. It'll work out.
My son and us pay about 5500 a year for a school that costs over $56K to attend and this does not cover books and supplies. It is pretty much a free ride and he takes his classes very seriously but he also does have fun.
My problem is that our government gives BILLIONS away every year to Egypt so they recognize Isreal, to Isreal to fight the Palestinians, they are currently building Moscs in Moroco, the list is endless. Yet we have high unemployment, citizens with no healthcare, lack of affordable housing, and states going broke trying to meet the demands of illegal aliens, etc.,
When is it enough?
Me :p
I was going to say something but I think I'll just back right out of this thread and keep my mouth shut.
Here in Fl, we have a program called Bright Futures. Its based on academic achievement. Any child who has an accumulated GPA of 3.0 gets 75% of their tuition paid, and 3.5 or better, its 100%. This applies to any state funded university, such as Florida State University, University of Fl, University of Miami, etc. Of course housing is not included, but, hey, just the tuition is a huge help. I noticed someone had written that it seems the only ones who get a free ride are welfare recipients and minorities. Just as an FYI....my daughter is hispanic and my son caucasion. My hispanic daughter is held to the same standards as my caucasion son, as it should be. For Pell and federal aid, our income counts the same way for her, as it does for him. So, you can't generalize.