The Election & Financial Aid in America

In light of the election, I decided on researching both candidates policies and promises in accordance with higher education.  While each presidential candidate provided interesting information, Barack Obama's plan highlighted some interesting statistics that could apply to my voice.  It is said, based on Obama's website that "12 percent of Hispanics...eventually earn a bachelors degree" and the "average college graduate leaves with $19,000 in debt".  This meaning, that higher educational institutions may need to strengthen the policies of financial aid and create opportunities for lower to middle class individuals to apply for college.  

Both John McCain and Barack Obama outlined a plan to simplify the process of applying financial aid.  The FASFA (Free Application for Federal Aid) form currently consists of 5 pages and 127 questions that the applier has to fill out.  Based on the FASFA site, one needs a worksheet just to complete the form.  Being unfamiliar with financial aid, I explored the website and the worksheet and through my voice, found the information hard for a first time user.  I looked up my dependency based on my voice and even filed for financial aid in order to go through the questions and see what items were asked.  As to the presidential candidates, I would have to agree that the forms are confusing and may deter many from applying.  Even a YouTube video from FASFAonline.com, an online resource,  admits that the "interface is not terrific and pretty easy to get lost". The questions were jumbled with finances intermixed with personal information and for a young women, like Maria, she would have to have her parents by her side in order to complete the form.  If they were too busy, or did not have all the information right beside them, in terms of annual income and residency status, they would have to make several trips to the website in order to complete the form.  Words that could describe a first time user of FASFA such as Maria would be confused, frustrated, irritated, nervous, and overwhelmed.  

There are a variety of financial aid that can come from scholarship, grants, and work studies and I resources online that were found through the techno-savy means of the Internet, podcasts, and videos.

Financial Aid Basics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCqlbs2i6us

2008 FAFSA Tips for Financial Aid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJDU-eXFq5o

Through this journey into the world of financial aid, I found that students are immediately met with anxious thoughts as they think about college.  Though advisors and resources are on campus, parents and their paper work are not.  With the economy, lately, effecting the status of employment and yearly income, students, I predict even more, will need to understand the benefits of financial aid.  Not only should financial aid officers know this information but RA's, hall directors, greek house advisors, and others should be informed  to the world of financial aid in order to help their friends, residents, brothers, and sisters successful navigate through the higher education financial aid system.