03.18.09 | FAFSA Reform Needed
The FAFSA was created in 1992 to “simplify” applying for financial aid. Simplify? I cringe to think what the process was like before the current six page, 100 question document. What, did they have you walking over hot coals while reciting your available income and asset details? Were you required to battle to the death, like a gladiator, for the right to file your application? The current process is painstaking enough.
The truth is many Americans are so intimidated by the application process that they don’t fill out a FAFSA, and sadly, those are usually the families that need aid the most. Last year congress ordered the form streamlined, but in the same bill they added seven new questions to the application. Can someone please tell the left hand what the right hand is doing?
Even for those who do complete the FAFSA, many feel the form does not accurately depict a families financial need as it does a poor job of assessing financial worth and does not factor in the high cost of living. In addition, many students do not get assistance from Mom and Dad, although parental income and assets are used when determining eligibility for dependent students (those under 24). Is that fair?
The FAFSA reminds me of that old Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young song, Love the one you’re with. If you can’t have the form you want, love the one you’ve got.
Do you feel the FAFSA application is challenging? Do you think it’s unfair? We want to know. Sound off!
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When a person turns 18 and goes out to live on their own, their are an adult. Why should parent income matter. My daughter when out live on her own and work her way throught college. She couldn’t get any aid if her parent’s income was not included in the FAFSA. Her father had not been a part of her life and would not give her any financial information. She has always worked two jobs to support herself while attending full time. She wasn’t asking for free money, she just wanted a loan at a decent rate. She didn’t qualify for low interest government loans, she had to go with higher interest private loans. ADULTS SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON THEIR PARENT’S INFORMATION. THERE IS DISCRIMINATION IF YOU TRY TO WORK, SUPPORT YOURSELF, AND SAVE MONEY. A FRIEND OF HERS HAD A BABY AND WENT ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND NOW HAS A GOV GRANT FOR SCHOOL. WHAT MESSAGE ARE WE SENDING PEOPLE? The government is currently overhauling the student loan program, but to me it will only be fair if ALL PEOPLE CAN QUALIFY FOR THE SAME RATE OF LOAN! IT IS A LOAN, NOT A GIFT. IT STILL HAS TO BE PAID BACK.
September 27th, 2009 | #
I am 22 years old and currently living in New Mexico as of 8 months ago. My hometown is Greenville, SC. I have been trying to get a degree for the past 4 years. I believe I am still a transferring sophomore, mainly because I cannot afford to pay for school. I have been supporting myself for the past 3 years and each semester when it comes time to fill out my FAFSA, I prepare for the most stressful part of my entire year. My parents have been divorced for about 7 years and my mother is remarried. Her new husband, whom I hardly know, does not divulge his finances to my mother, nor would he even imagine to give up that information to me for my FAFSA. This puts me in a gut-wrenchingly stressful situation. I honestly feel discriminated against. I usually cannot use my father’s tax information because he always files an extension and by the time he does his taxes, if he even does (he got audited by the IRS this year) it would be too late. I have spoken with FAFSA help over the phone numerous times pleading my case and no one seems to hear or want to listen. It is frusterating beyond words that I should have to list my parents financial information when I am a grown adult fully supporting herself–and they would attest to this! My father even mentioned sueing the governement for a violation of civil rights. (ha!) This year I had to project my father’s income even though he has not filed his taxes yet in order to fill my FAFSA out. (because I could not use my mother’s information, since I do not know her husband’s finances) My prospective school sent me an email stating that I now need to send a signed copy of my father’s taxes and W-2 forms, which he has not even filed yet! Subsequently, I might have given up the chance of being accepted for this coming fall because I must wait on my father to come up with the money he needs first to pay his CPA to file his taxes and then wait some more to get the results. (and my father has been to known to file up to 8 months late) By that time their programs are likely to be filled up, especially the nursing program which is currently waitlisted a year. This would prevent me from even getting my name on there. And as a student wanting nothing more than to be enrolled full time in school, I feel there is nothing more I can do but wait for the day that I turn 24. My only other option for early independancy status would be to have a baby or get married! Niether of which are seemingly smart for me at the moment.
I should also mention that I am paying for my education entirely myself and am not begging for government money. I am fully prepared to take out my thousands of dollars in student loans, but now because of FAFSA I might not even have the opportunity for school this fall semester.
I have been running into the same brick wall for four years now (two of which I have been an independant, not claimed on either parents’ taxes, and self supporting) Is there any way of getting my story out there and having something done about this? I know I am not the only one.
Does anyone have ANY information or resources that might be helpful? I would appreciate that much.
September 8th, 2009 | #
FAFSA is unfair to older parents who have finally in their pre-retirement years reached a salary that precludes them from aid. These people go in debt to pay for the sticker price of a private college, yet will not work long enough to recover from the debt. They are charged the very same sticker as the very wealthy who need only sell off one of their properties or take extra money out of their big bank accounts to help there kids through college. Their children as well and middle and lower middle class children will not be strapped with huge loans as well. Why can’t a fair sliding scale be instituted for people working for a living and making more than $130,000 in salary?
July 1st, 2009 | #
The FASFA is the biggest joke the govenment has come up with so far. How can the process be fair when it only takes in to account a persons assets and not their expenses. Ho is this fair to the majority of students and their parents or families. My husband and I took a $30,000 hit in income in 08 yet i had to use 2007 tax returns for my daughters FASFA and of course we were denied any tuition assistance so she was unable to go to the school she wanted because we could not finance it out of pocket and by the time we got a denial letter it was almost to late to apply for loans she was discusted and decieded to go to community college for a year. FASFA needs to be overhauled so it’s fair to all Middle and low income families.
March 20th, 2009 | #
The FASFA needs to be reformed. I have $20,000 worth of student debt and i still have a year left to go. i made approximately $4,000 last year and it was added to my EFC! i paid for ALL of my expenses.My parents could barely afford to pay their bills and feed themselves. But somehow they are expected to contribute to my education. I have lived on my own for a while now and i am not allowed to claim my self as an independent. I’m expected to take out student loans. I have to take out even more just for living expenses! It really discourages me from even trying to make a life for myself because of the massive amount of debt i’m occurring.
My mother lost her job in jan 08, and my school refused to override anything. They based everything on the 07 tax return. My parents then were barely making $50,000 together! the FASFA is a JOKE. If you’re family makes under $36,000…then you are entitled to a free ride. OR if your parents are divorced you only have to put one parents income down. HOW IS THAT FAIR? The government certainly isn’t encouraging the lower-middle class students to attend school. We fall in between the cracks and are completely forgotten. SO we have to work even harder. It almost seems it’s better to let yourself become poor because the government will give you housing, food, and free college!
All we hear is how the bridge of inequality is narrowing…yeah, right. You give one student free money of which they will never have to pay back. Then you tell another student they have to pay for their education. Either you give everyone free money or you make us all take out loans at a much lower interest rate. That way there would be no questioning about fairness and equality. THAT WAY when we all graduate, we start out at the same place. NOT where one person has no debt and can start their lives, while the other can barely survive from all the debt.
OR the FASFA could take into consideration, the cost of living, the amount of bills, and take into consideration of those who are responsible in our society. HOW ABOUT raising the Poverty Line to $60,000/year after taxes.
You shouldn’t hold it against the students because of the parents’ income.
March 19th, 2009 | #