"Losing Ground" A paper on financial aid then and financail aid now.

Essay by Patricia_KatCollege, UndergraduateA, May 2004

download word file, 3 pages 5.0

"Losing Ground"

Many students cannot enroll in college due to the rising tuition. Low-income families are struggling to afford the school they want or need to go to. Financial aid is becoming more useful yet, the tuition rates are increasing which is making it harder for students to enroll and afford college or universities.

Due to the increase in tuition for colleges and universities, more and more students cannot enroll. The low-income families are struggling to afford the rising costs of college. "In 1980, tuition at public colleges and universities represented 13% of income for the lowest-income families. In 2000, tuition of these colleges and universities equaled 25% of their income, ("Losing Ground" College Board; U.S. Census Bureau)." The middle and higher-class families do continue to enroll, in just the same amount, even as the tuition increases. "Americans work more hours in the past, incur greater debt, and devote larger portions of their income to pay for college, ("Losing Ground" College Board; U.S. Census Bureau)." People are working harder to afford the rising enrollment cost for colleges. Moreover, financial aid should help the American people to be able to enroll. Yet, due to the increase in tuition, financial aid cannot keep up.

Financial aid is for the people who are qualified to enroll in college but cannot afford it. The financial aid money comes from the federal and state governments. The federal Pell Grant program, was one of the most popular financial aid programs, has now decreased due to helping with only smaller portions of the tuition. State financial aid programs to undergraduates are different in every state. Some states do not cover anything and will not pay for any of the tuition, like Alaska and South Dakota, as when Pennsylvania, New York, California, and others pay a...