Verified Document

Improving Affordability In Higher Education Term Paper

" These and other misperceptions, perhaps contribute to the fact most Americans don't pressure legislators to insure college access funding becomes more of a priority. (Chitty, 2006) "Ultimately, if America is going to continue to lead in the global economy, an infusion of public funds into higher education is essential," William Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, insists. (Chitty, 2006) "If we in higher education take the lead in cost control, efficiency, and effectiveness, then we're going to have the chance to restore public trust and justify an increase in public investment." Goral (2005) notes that due to recent tax tables which define family contributions to tuition, many students will not qualify for Pell grants. In addition, the Perkins loan program may be eliminated. Many students currently qualifying for Pell do not have any other resources.

He recounts thoughts from several "tuition experts" on panel of tuition experts discussing upcoming changes for higher education. Gloria Nemer0wicz, president, Pine Manor College (Mass.) notes statistics for income of college educated vs. non-college educated people confirms the value of higher education. "But that's a distant deal," she admits. "It doesn't matter how good the deal is if you can't afford to take it. Our concern is the accessibility to the deal." (Goral, 2005) Although the report by Fischer and Blythe (2006) reveals concerns regarding grant funds allocated to the lower education arena, similar questionable scenarios likely exist in the realms of higher education. "Public records show that educators used district credit cards to buy thousands of items of questionable educational value, spending money awarded to help educate the district's neediest kids." When any part of grant money is spent on prohibited items of purposes other than its intended purpose, fewer students are enabled to pursue higher education benefits. Another recommendation is that funds allocated as grants for low-income students be monitored to insure they reach their intended destinations and serve their proposed purposes.

Fear of jeopardizing his/her personal, as well as his/her family's financial situation frequently keeps a low income student form applying for higher education loans. Experts report that all races of economically disadvantaged students of all races fare worse when they only aid receive aid in student loan forms as when many of they students graduate, they are confronted with staggering loan debts. (Horwedel, 2006) When the he Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) at be University of Southern California surveyed 400 Hispanic Californians from 18 and 24 years old regarding their college financial aid perceptions, 38% thought college costs outweighed the benefits. Hispanic students, Horwedel (2006) notes, remain one of the under-represented lower-income groups in higher education. The point, however, crosses racial and ethnic lines that traditional college-age youth frequently perceive college costs to be more expensive than they actually may be. The need exists to clear up misperceptions and requirements related to college costs, Dr. Estela Zarate, research director for TRPI, says,.".. so students don't inadvertently forfeit the opportunity to get a higher education. A separate TRPI study, "Perceptions of College Financial Aid Among California Latino Youth," found that many Hispanics mistakenly thought U.S. citizenship was a requirement for financial aid." (Horwedel, 2006) A study completed in March 2006, entitled "Looking for Relief: Americans' Views on College Costs and Student Debt," notes differing ethnic and racial attitudes toward student loans and found: "Only 15% of the White students declined loans, compared to 28% of Blacks and 27% of Hispanics.... say (ing) repaying that debt is too hard."(Horwedel, 2006) Grants constitute less of a financial burden, while "loans have too much of a detrimental impact on students and families," Dr. Gumecindo Salas, vice president of government affairs for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, states. HACU currently lobbies the federal government to increase the dollar amounts awarded by Pell Grants awarded. Along with debating this option, Congress also considered raising the amount of student loans, which Salas opposes, preferring the Pell Grant be increased. (Horwedel, 2006) David Breneman, Curry School of Education Dean, University of Virginia, who also writes economics of education and public policy toward education, stresses, " The core issue is a very real one:... Even though there may be student aid out there, we've made such a complicated process of finding it and working your way down to a net price that, for a lot of kids who don't have sophisticated parents or go to schools with poor counseling systems, I think many of these kids...

(Goral, 2005)
Although some remedies for federal funding for higher education are a "no-brainer," some proposed procedures would make the situation worse. Instead of being an engine of or door to opportunity, Kirp (2003, p. 17) argues, public higher education currently generates inequality. "Government's first priority should be to put a thumb on the equity side of the scale in order to narrow the access gap." Closing the gap does not mean billions of more dollars have to be spent, David Ellwood and Thomas Kane, economists, state. Instead, financial aid may just needs to be aimed more effectively. (Kirp, 2003, p. 17) The college cost crisis Kirp (2003, p. 17) notes during 2003 continues in 2006. During 2003, a report from the education subcommittee led by John Boehner GOP Representative is deemed to be a joke, with an "analysis' that does not have substance or merit.

Mark Yudof, president of the University of Texas System, reports on the value of a college education. Male college graduates in 2003 were reported to earn $32,000 a year more than an individual with just a high school diploma, a $15,000 differential rise from1975, confirming that the BA is not only a social investment but an investment in a graduate's personal financial security. Financial aid for higher education is not merely a response to students' needs, it serves as an investment in the state's productivity.

Students from low-income families are the biggest losers in this market-driven higher-education world. The extent of the impact of a family's income on educational opportunity, albeit, is appalling. "At elite universities, a study by the Century Foundation finds, almost three-quarters of the students come from the top quartile of socioeconomic status; fewer than 10% come from the bottom half." (Kirp, 2003, p. 17) Even in less selective colleges, discrepancies regarding students from lower income is blatant. A 2003 Congressional committee reports that less than half of college-qualified high school graduates, whose families have less than $25,000, enroll in four-year colleges. Approximately one fourth of these individuals do not pursue higher education, compared to five of six students with families earning more than $75,000, enroll in a four-year institution. Only 4% of these students remain at the high school level. "Smart poor kids go to college at the same rate as stupid rich kids," Terry Hartle, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, states. (Kirp, 2003, p. 17)

Even thought the reported intent of federal scholarship and loan programs is to close the gap for students from low income families to secure higher education, intricate eligibility rules frequently discourage low income students from applying. In addition, the Pell Grants' $4,050 ceiling does not begin to counter escalating college costs. A recent College Board report admits federal financial aid is not equal to tuition increases. (Kirp, 2003, p. 17)

Because students with low-income families frequently hesitate to borrow money, due to qualms about how they will adapt and progress in college, it makes more sense to present these students with initial scholarships instead of loans to help them past personal and financial hurdles. Simplifying seemingly pointless eligibility rules for federal aid would also help this situation. (Kirp, 2003, p. 17)

III. Results and Recommendations

The Door to Higher Education (Empirical evidence confirms that federal and institutional aids complement each other. When federal aid increases, the door to higher education is opened for more students, and consequently private institutions will be more likely to supplement federal aid by providing price discounts. Goral 2005) Heavier-than-anticipated student demand caused the Pell Grant program to have a $4 billion shortfall. In 2005, however, the Pell Grant program was reportedly running a surplus. Simultaneously with the surplus, Congress began seeking new revenue to shore up the federal budget. (Dervarics, 2005) Higher education leaders aim to ensure lawmakers utilize savings to expand the Pell Grant program, not spend it for other projects. When lawmakers presented the proposition to divert the surplus to fund lawmakers' particular projects or increase federal health care funding, not increasing the $4,050 maximum Pell Grant amount, numerous higher education's top leaders immediately opposed the ideas. Drs. David Ward and David Warren, co-chairs of the Student Aid Alliance stress: "Whenever the student aid programs produce savings, Congress takes them to spend on other areas of government, whether…

Sources used in this document:
References

Burd, Stephen. (2006). Plenty of Ideas About Student Aid, but No Road Map. Government & Politics Volume 53, Issue 2,-Page A40. Retrieved 4 December 2006 from: bin/printable.cgi?article= http://chronicle.com/free/v53/i02/02a04001.htm.

A www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=109643104

Camara, W.J. & Kimmel, E.W. (Eds.). (2005). Choosing Students: Higher Education Admissions Tools for the 21st Century. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Chitty, Haley. (2006, June 1). "High access, low priority: the rhetoric related to the importance of student aid does not match reality.(FINANCIAL AID)," University Business.
Emerson. Ralph Waldo. (1860). "Culture," The Conduct of Life. The Columbia World of Quotations. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996. Retrieved 4 December 2006 at http://www.bartleby.com/66/18/19818.html.
Fischer, Kent and Molly Motley Blythe. (2006, September 24). "DISD staff had a field day with grant money: Exclusive: Federal aid paid for banned items bought with credit cards, records show.," Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX). http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5011114087
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Higher Education and Education
Words: 681 Length: 2 Document Type: Other (not listed above)

Post Poverty is more than the state of being poor or bereft of resources; it is a social status or caste one is ascribed. The label of being poor is equivalent to a low status in the society. As Misencik (2017) puts it, labeling people as being low status helps to "maintain the status quo" and is a process akin to blaming the victim. People who have few resources are

Retention in Higher Education
Words: 2786 Length: 6 Document Type: Research Paper

Retention in Higher Education Evolution across the Globe Challenges of Institutes Factors Influencing Student Retention Alignment of expectations and experience Social and academic integration Affordability Academic Performance Attitudes and Satisfaction Academic Engagement Measures to Improve Student Retention Curriculum development Orientation and Induction Authentic Curriculum Student-Centered Active Learning Integration of Study Skills Students from Under-represented Groups Organization of Program Cultural Issues in Classrooms Role of Presidency in Dealing with Retention Accepting the Change Retention Strategies Reasons Given by Students for Withdrawal Conclusion References Abstract This paper is designed to figure out the reasons which cause the failure

Tuition in Higher Education Higher
Words: 3251 Length: 13 Document Type: Thesis

The report also identified some important aspects that determined successful completion of higher education. It was found that among both borrowers and non-borrowers, working part-time or fulltime and/or delayed entry into college carried a significantly high risk for dropping out. The fact that almost all of the students who successfully completed higher education were enrolled in college right after high school, attended fulltime and did not work part time

Education Breaks Poverty
Words: 2153 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1.The Role of Education in Socioeconomic Mobility: This topic explores the impact of education on an individual's ability to climb the socioeconomic ladder. It examines how access to quality education can provide individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to secure better employment opportunities, leading to an increased standard of living and a break from the cycle of poverty. 2.Education and Poverty Alleviation: Global Case Studies: An analytical essay reviewing various

High Working Performance in Organizations
Words: 4652 Length: 16 Document Type: Essay

High Performance Working Definition High performance working is defined as an overall approach to managing organizations that purposes to arouse employee participation and commitment so as to attain high levels of performance intended to improve the discretionary endeavor employees place into their work, and to completely utilize the skills and competencies that they possess (Belt and Giles, 2009). HPW is delineated as a term employed to outline a unique approach to

American Education Current State of American Education
Words: 1891 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

American Education Current state of American education In the United States of America, both the public and private schools are liable for the provision of education within the entire nation. In accordance with funding and the full control by the local, state, and federal government, there is universal availability of public schools across the whole nation (Orland, 2011). Empowered by the jurisdictions over school districts, the locally elected school boards are responsible

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now