Using the ARRA for higher education

There is a nice article on Huffington Post about how the ARRA money can be used to help higher education. Check it out here.

NYT Article

The New York Times has a great article up, "Higher Education May Soon Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S." Check it out here.

Hannah Karns, WI

Hannah Karns, a student at University of Wisconsin, Madison, was kind enough to talk to us during the recent USSA conference.

New NYT article on college affordability

The New York times ran an article on college affordability yesterday, but they take a slightly unusual approach. The article, "Even at Costliest College, Unease Over Downturn" focuses on the effects the Wall Street meltdown has had on the costliest campus in the nation, Sarah Lawrence. You can read the complete article here.

Video contest winner announced

Got Tuition has announced the winner of our video contest. Congratulations Ben Redmond!



You can see our announcement page here.
Ben was also on the line for our most recent teleconference, which you can listen to here.
As part of his prize, Ben was asked to blog for the Huffington Post. You can read his entry here.

More PA Board of Education testimony

Karyn Reinhold gave testimony on October 28th at Harrisburg Area Community College. You can watch the video below.

Concerned students talk to Pennsylvania government

The Council of Higher Education of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education has scheduled a series of five regional public hearings to receive input from college students, recent graduates, parents, higher education officials and others regarding the affordability of post-secondary education in Pennsylvania. With costs to attend college continuing to escalate, combined with relatively flat federal, state and institutional financial aid and increasingly restricted public and private loan markets, the Council of Higher Education seeks to understand how these factors are impacting the ability of those wishing to attend college to afford postsecondary education without taking on worrisome debt burdens that must be repaid after graduation

Below is the testimony of Ashley Lovejoy, who is scheduled to testify today, October 29 at Community College of Allegheny County. She is a student at Edinboro University.

When I decided to give this testimony here today I did not want to be the voice for just myself, but for every individual across the United States who want to continue with a higher education, but can not because the cost is simply not in their budget, or they have to alter their dreams to adjust to college tuition.

When I first decided that I was going to attend college my parents were very excited. I would be the first member from my family to attend and graduate with a degree. Up until my junior year of high school I was going to be a lawyer, I wanted to make a difference in the world. It was after I traveled to Australia as foreign exchange student that my vision for life had changed. To change the world I had to start with the youth of today, they would be tomorrow’s future. When I told my parents that I was no longer going to be attending college majoring in pre-law, instead I would be majoring in elementary/special education. The look of disappointment on my parents’ faces startled me. I was sure that they would be happy for me; I thought that they wanted all of my hopes and dreams to come true. The truth is they did and they still do. My father sat me down at the kitchen table and told me that if this is what I truly wanted in my life then they would support me. He just feared about how much debt that I would be in and the annual salary of a teacher. We would not be receiving any additional assistance for my funding for school because we fell into the middle class grey area. Even though my father was disabled from work and my mother had a full time job to try to make ends meet at home. I would be paying for my college through loans. At this point in my life I was not thinking about any of that and I thought that he was just crazy, by the time that I graduated I would be making more than $30,000.00 and it didn’t make a difference as long as I was happy with my career and changing the lives of children.

Now I sit here today $42,940.72 in debts with still another year of school until I graduate. I have had to take time off from school because I could not afford the difference that the cost of tuition to the amount I was receiving in loans. Now that I am a commuter and living off campus I am able to afford the tuition through loans. Yet, with the starting salary of a teacher averaging around $30,000.00 a year I fear of how I will be able to repay my student loans and pay for my everyday necessities to live. I see how I am struggling now to pay my bills, work a job, and maintain a 3.4 GPA full time in school. I fear that my parents were right about how much I would make as an educator and how it will affect the choices in my life. My dream was to teach in a special education classroom, preferably with autistic children or the severe emotional/behavioral disorder children. Then one day teach a third or fourth grade regular education classroom. Now I am looking at teaching in an inner city school where a district will agree to repay some or my entire student loans off for me. If I am unable to find a school in an inner city that offers this type of bonus, I have decided that I may have to set my dream aside and work in a psychiatric hospital for children. A job that would allow me to use my degree in, and pay back my loans and support myself with the cost of living in today’s economy.

I am just one person sharing my story with you, but there are thousands of students out there in the United States that share this same story. All we want to do is receive an affordable education to make a difference not only in our lives, but for the world, is that too much to ask?

Sakeena Kazmi, FL

This video from the recent USSA conference is courtesy of Sakeena Kazmi of Florida.

College Affordability in the news

Our first article comes from the Philadelphia Inquirer. With the Wall Street meltdown, many schools are scrambling to find ways to keep students in class and help them pay their tuition bills. This article features Graham B. Spanier, president of Penn State University, explaining what his campus is doing to try and help students. Read the complete article here.

The Denver Post has a guest commentary talking about Amendment 58, which would repeal some oil and gas subsidies and instead funnel the money into scholarships. You can check it out here.

"The Strain to Pay for College," from the Washington Post shared some stories from individuals in the class of 2009 who have been priced out of their chosen Universities. Read the complete article here (free registration required).

Barry Melamed, NJ

Today we have another video from this summer's National Education Association RA. This video is courtesy of Barry Melamed of New Jersey.



Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

got tuition? visits Indiana State

The Indiana Student Education Association local chapter at ISU hosted a ‘Got Tuition’ table at ISU on Monday, October 13. ISEA members passed out information, t-shirts, and mini-footballs to all participants. Students had the opportunity to sign a nonpartisan ‘Got Tuition’ petition asking Congress to address college affordability and student debt. Over 200 signatures were collected, information about Indiana student aid was distributed, and students learned policymakers’ positions on the issue of college affordability.

 

Got Tuition? visits Tennessee State University

On Tuesday, October 7, "Got Tuition?" visited Tennessee State University in Nashville. While the presidential candidates were spending the rainy day preparing for the second Presidential debate, students at TSU were holding a "Day of Action" in their Student Center.

Kenasha Paul, FL

This video from the recent USSA conference is courtesy of Kenasha Paul of Florida.



Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

Your stories, part 5

Our first story comes from Sabrina I.

My name is Sabrena I, I'm a single mom of two and 33. I got laid off in March of this year and thought I would go back to school to become a nurse. I tried for aid but since I already had a degree and too many hours the college wouldn't award me a grant of any kind. On top of that my unemployment was stopped since I was going back to school because being a student is considered an occupation. College is a BIG financial crunch on many today and in the future if something is not done to help students and parents. What I have been through it seems to me everyone wants your money but if you don't have any these people do not want to help so we can better ourselves in anyway.

Our next story is from a student at Oakland University.

Every year I calculate about how much it will cost to live on campus and take 16 credit hours and obtain enough scholarships and grants to cover my costs and without fail every year they take away my grants as my scholarships process and raise tuition and housing fees. I'm always left short enough to clear out my entire bank account every year. My school has raised tuition over 20% since I started at Oakland University in Fall 2006. That is ridiculous and unacceptable for a public university. Every student I know works 1-4 jobs while taking classes in order to pay for one of the least expensive educations in the state. I am tired of earning scholarships based on my good performance in the Honors College and then being penalized by having housing grants taken away. My family cannot afford to pay for my education and that is shown on my FAFS A so I should at least get the financial aid I was proposed to get in the beginning of the year. This is a major issue for all students and we need to let our voices be heard.

Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

Matthew Wendt, WI

This video from the USSA conference is courtesy of Matthew Wendt of Wisconsin.



Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

Some more articles

GoDanRiver, the news source for Danville, VA has a great opinion piece written by a student who is struggling to pay for college. Read it here.

The Witchita Eagle (Kansas) has an article about recent grads trying to get by. You can check it out here.

The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) is having trouble keeping up with credit crunch. Read about it here.

Kathleen Templin, AZ

This video from the USSA conference comes courtesy of Kathleen Templin of Arizona.



Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

College Affordability hits the news

We have some articles about college affordability today. Tons of stories have been popping up lately, especially with the financial meltdown.

Student Life, the Washington University in St. Louis has a great article that outlines both Presidential candidates college affordability plans. You can read it here.

The Seattle Times has an article exploring how the financial crunch is affecting student lending. Check it out here.

The Wall Street Journal is running an article about how the financial meltdown is affecting college savings, they also offer some tips on how to help finance your education. The article is available here.

Your stories, part 4

Today we'd like to share some more of your stories.

Our first story comes from Nicholas G.

When I graduated high school in May of 2004, the thought of being in debt for a majority of my life because of student loans was the primary deterrent for not going to school. I chose to work the next semester (Fall of 2004) rather than beginning a life of debt. Realizing that my job was not what I wanted to do the rest of my life, I reluctantly decided to go to college. At the time of my admittance into Western Illinois University, my parents were still married. According to their income, I was not able to gain financial aid; which is a problem of its own that I will comment on later.

During college, I became involved in many things. Greek Life played a major role in my experience and I took on many officer roles including President my last year as an undergrad. I was also involved in an exuberant amount of volunteer activities, Interfraternity Council, Student Government Association, Promoting the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities Everywhere (P.R.I.D.E.), and numerous committees. The validity behind mentioning these activities is because with all of my time being devoted to studying and extracurricular activities, there was no time for a job during the school year to make money other than on my summer vacations. With that, my student loans paid not only my tuition but also so I could eat.

In August of 2008 I graduated from Western Illinois University and was thrown into a economy that is less than suitable for finding a career. I realize patience is a virtue and a job will come, but rather I find a career or not, the student loans are still in repayment after 6 months. My parents are not going to pay my student loans, I am. So for the government to have said that I couldn't get financial aid because of my parents income is foolish.

I majored in law enforcement and justice administration in college and minored in psychology. I'm not naive to the fact that as a civil servant I will never become a millionaire, and will probably never be classified as anything other than middle class. However, I am worried that I will never get ahead of that $50,000 it cost me for my education. The next step in my life would be to buy a house... Possibly a new vehicle to replace my 17 year old truck... I would love to have children... I would love the American cliche of a picket fence... But my next steps are all on hold. I already lived beyond my means by going to college... The sad part of it all is had I known then what I know now, my decision to go to college may have been decided against because I personally don't believe the juice was worth the squeeze.

Our second story comes from Georgette P.

I attend school out of state and owe a prior balance of 8,500. I attend D'Youville college in Buffalo NY. I am eligible for aid to cover the up coming year but am not able to register for classes until that outstanding balance is paid. I am an African American living in a single parent house hold that makes less than 6,000 a year. My Mother is on social security,SSI, and food stamp benefits to make ends meet. Since elementary through high school I had free lunch because she couldn't afford to pay it. She also has a life threatening disease and my father passed away in 2001. No one in my family is eligible to cosign loans for me to pay this balance. I have tried and they all got denied. I really would hate to stop my education because I cannot afford it. I am a hard working student with some financial issues.

Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.

Nicholas Pratt, PA

This video from the recent USSA conference is courtesy of Nicholas Pratt of Pennsylvania.



Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.