Comments on: Simpler forms, more student loans?

By: SLP Huntington Beach CA

SLP Huntington Beach CA — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:06:20 +0000

Thanks for sending this article to us in California. It certainly is well written. However I think the FAFSA program needs improvement in few ways in the "real picture" of middle class families. Concern – if student is applying "on their own" and surviving "on their own" why does FAFSA require IRS data/PARENT INFO???

By: Eileen, Spring Lake Heights, NJ

Eileen, Spring Lake Heights, NJ — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:09:22 +0000

Well this is good news….I always had to help my kids with this application because most of the information they want is about the parents finances and I'm sure there are many kids out there that don't have parents that are giving them the information they need to fill it out……..hope this helps everyone.

By: Tony, Shark River Hills, NJ

Tony, Shark River Hills, NJ — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:02:32 +0000

I agree with Carol, Brielle, NJ, 07-09-09. You can simplify the FASFA form, but I too don't see the middle class receiving any benefit from the program. We struggle like everyone else, paycheck to paycheck. We applied on line for FASFA in 2008. We were denied any benefit shortly thereafter.

By: Irina, Pensacola, Fl

Irina, Pensacola, Fl — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:52:18 +0000

I applied for financial aid last month and i just got answer back. I have been granted 20000 dollars in student loans when my tuitions for next year cost only 8000. And now I am facing the dilemma: I can take these money that are right here and I can buy a new car, laptop, or take a vacantion; but do I want to have these 20000 plus 6000 from the past year, plus the interest, in debt? I am not sure if I will find a job right after my graduation, so I am trying be responsible about my money decisions and prevent the situation when I will be unemployed with a huge debt. But it's so hard to turn down 12000 that I don't really need.

By: Joseph, Rumson, NJ

Joseph, Rumson, NJ — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:24:07 +0000

This atricle does bring up the issue of who really needs aid? Should there be less aid for the more expensive schools? Is there anyway to cap admission prices so they stop rising? It seems that is the main issue- that tuition gets $3000 more expensive every year. How are the students who are already scraping the bottom of thier pockets suppose to pay this inflated pricetag?

By: Sue, Brooklyn NY

Sue, Brooklyn NY — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:21:43 +0000

This is a relevant issue we need to consider. Is this really better for students?

By: Billy Jacksonville, FL

Billy Jacksonville, FL — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:50:21 +0000

Until the government streamlines the process people will continue to miss the opportunity to receive maximum add. Also I agree that the fewer questions will enable less qualified people to receive add.

By: AZ, New York, NY

AZ, New York, NY — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:22:18 +0000

If you couldn't figure out the original version of the FAFSA, then it's doubtful you even got accepted to college to begin with..

By: Matthew, Raleigh NC

Matthew, Raleigh NC — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:33:04 +0000

The funny thing about all of this is that it will actually hurt all of our students more than it helps.

Think about the housing bubble we just had. What drove all those prices sky-high? Easy loans. Low interest rates made borrowing so prolific that rather than 3 people bidding on a house, there were 9 people bidding on the house. More demand plus the same supply equals increasing prices.

Now, think about that in terms of tuition. We all know that tuition has been skyrocketing in the last 2 decades, increasing at rates far greater than inflation.

That's because the same rules that apply to home loans apply to tuition loans. When lending becomes prolific, more students have access to money for college. However, how many new universities are there? Few or none. So you have more applicants competing for the same number of spots. More demand, constant supply. Prices shoot up.

It's like we have a nation full of famine, grain prices are through the roof, and our government's solution is loans to people so that they can afford grain. Shouldn't we be farming more?

The answer to accessibility of college is more universities. Increasing supply to match or exceed demand to bring prices down.

More loans will do nothing more than ensure that each generation of young graduates will be even more burdened with debt than the last.

By: Pat Savu Maplewood, MN

Pat Savu Maplewood, MN — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:26:12 +0000

The simplier form won't make a difference. You have to be destitute to qualify. My brother lost his good-paying job at Chrysler last year. He reapplied for Financial aid with a revision to FAFSA at her college, but he was getting unemployment and severance. He had to pull his daughter out of Central State University and send her to a community college at the end of that semester: He made too mcuh money to qualify for any aid, but not enough to keep her at that school. His prospects for another job in the Detroit area soon that might pay even close to the same amount is very low.

If he didn't have so much equity in his house I would have told him to find a job in Texas and send the keys to the bank for his house in detroit, walk away from his mortgage, and then maybe he would be able to send his daughter to a Texas state university.

By: Nadia, Cleveland, OH

Nadia, Cleveland, OH — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:14:02 +0000

The form wasn't hard or confusing to begin with. Now more undeserving students will get aid because we can't answer a few questions. Give me a break people!!

By: Sherry, Cherry Hill, NJ

Sherry, Cherry Hill, NJ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:47:02 +0000

My two cents is I wish they had this ten years ago. Great update for my nephew and neice.

By: Dave Shulhafer, Louisville, KY

Dave Shulhafer, Louisville, KY — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:46:55 +0000

Aren't the interest rates still ridiculously high?

By: Michelle, Manalapan NJ

Michelle, Manalapan NJ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:34:10 +0000

The FAFSA form looked very complicated the last time I attempted to fill it out alone. I think with the changes it will be less of a hassle for students to apply and be granted loans for college. I also think this will increase the number of students applying for loans which could significantly reduce the debt most people face after graduation

By: Art King, Bethlehem, PA

Art King, Bethlehem, PA — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:08:50 +0000

This change will definitely help my students.

By: Joan Martin Spring Lake Hts., NJ

Joan Martin Spring Lake Hts., NJ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:02:24 +0000

Don't you hate it when the improvements come after you're done with the process! Hopefully the form will be less of a barrier to those that really need it

By: Carol, Brielle NJ

Carol, Brielle NJ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:53:41 +0000

I'm glad they made the form easier to use but I doubt the middle-class will receive any financial benefit.

By: Veronica, Charlottesville, VA

Veronica, Charlottesville, VA — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:09:54 +0000

This is a great change as the old FAFSA forms were so time consuming and invasive, I could see how they could easily how they would serve as deterrents to students applying for financial aid/ college all together. As a side note, this is a very well written article; concise and focuses on an interesting point.

By: Anna Boyd Ellington, Columbus, Ohio

Anna Boyd Ellington, Columbus, Ohio — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:06:31 +0000

This is going to be very helpful, especially with the economy in recent times. Hopefully more people who need financial aid will figure out how to get it with the simpler form.

By: Jennifer, Houstin, TX

Jennifer, Houstin, TX — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:21:38 +0000

Interesting change, the forms tend to be difficult and time consuming.