Addressing flaws in America’s Financial Aid system….?

Yeah, I’ll agree that there are a ton of flaws. However, I think one of the main flaws in the system is that it awards people for not saving up their money. For instance, one of my cousin’s friends got almost a full ride to her college based off of FAFSA money. The girl’s family never saved any money, so she got to go on an expsensive vacation every year and the family also purchased a new car every year. The family just spent most of what they earned. My cousin, even though she was not in any way wealthy (her father was employed in the public school systems, and her mother worked blue-collar jobs), got slammed because the family saved money. All she got was a bunch of loans.

I’m not agreeing with you on the fact that only the people in the middle get slammed. Basically, anybody who saves up money gets slammed–if you are middle class, you should still be alright if your family didn’t save much money. In my case, I don’t think the FAFSA people even cared that my family was so poor that we could not afford to buy another car, even though ours was ten years old. My family still got slammed because of the fact that we had so much money saved (even though the main income came off of interest off the money, for a variety of reasons, so we couldn’t spend the money on college). I’d probably would be taking out most of my college money in loans if I had not received a merit scholarship.

Also, the system can be unfair to the rich. For example, I have a friend whose parents said that they weren’t going to help her out with college. However, the family made so much money that they didn’t get any FAFSA aid, except a loan for a few thousand. I don’t know how she is supposed to pay for college since her parents won’t help her out, and she didn’t get any aid.

I think you make some valid points, but I can’t agree to all of that. The system is flawed, but you are making it sound like “poor” people get a free ride.

My EFC on my fafsa was $0. Understanding the way fafsa works, you have probably deduced that I make very little money (as does my father). I attend a state school, and I am still 25,000 in debt (I don’t have a cosigner either) for my undergraduate. I received $2000 for this semester (my final semester). That does not even cover tuition costs.

Every year, I have had a whole slew of problems with my financial aid office. Each year, my paperwork magically disappears. (They will no longer copy received forms either, so I have no way to prove that I turned it in long before). Also, my school has a “random” selection process to audit students’ accounts. I have been randomly selected every year (as has one of my sisters). Because I make so little money, I have to fill out a budget sheet, showing exactly how my dad spends his money, and how I spend mine… and how we can survive off of it. (My sister pays many house bills, which is the reason why my dad still has the house). Until I complete it, I will not receive any aid. What does that mean? They think I am so poor that they don’t know how I could be living off of it, yet I will not receive any aid until they know how we do it. It’s a little ironic, isn’t it? Are you familiar with selective service? It’s a male only thing (which I don’t agree with, because it is sexist… but we need to get that bill passed first), and yet somehow it became a hold on my account. I had to bring them a copy of my birth certificate to get it removed. (This was my second year at this school, so explain that to me).

I KNOW this is not just me. I know tons of people who have been through the same shenanigans, or worse. So I ask that you don’t assume that lower income people are all set in this Endeavour, because it’s simply not true for all.

Also, taxes are based on income. So logically speaking, the wealthiest people are paying the most in taxes, and they aren’t going to benefit from education grants that are need based. So if you think your family is paying in the most, you are wrong. (I am not saying I don’t think that people who make more money shouldn’t, I am just saying if you are really up there in income, half your money goes to taxes).

I think there are many flaws in our aid system, and I am frustrated as well. I really think the biggest problem is there is too little funding available. I had a sociology teacher who went through school in the 70’s, in the U.S. He had about $2000 total, in loans (which was a bit more then, but still, he had his Ph.D.). There was a surplus for education grants, and they repaid his loans for him. That would never happen today. We are putting to much money into military and “reforming” other countries, that money could be better spent.

So I for one, would really like to make things better, how about you?

Just remember, anything government run is highly inefficient and ineffective.

As for the middle class getting shafted, I would say to an extent. but i know no poor student that ever recieved $10k in government grants (scholarships yes). The most i have seen is $4k a year. It is also apparant that you are attending a private college because no student would amass $100k in debt going to a state school. You may want to consider going to a state uni to lessen your debt.