- On the similarities between completing the FAFSA and going to the dentist (from Columbus Dispatch):
And although the process has been simplified, most people still will be a little anxious about applying for aid. "It's like going to the dentist," said Craig Daugherty, director of
financial aid at Kenyon College. "You're afraid, but know you should
go, and (you're) glad once it's over."
"It should reduce a lot of the errors, speed up the process and make
it a lot less intimidating for students and families," said David Metz,
director of financial aid and veterans services at Columbus State
Community College. The college leaders also gave high marks to a new Web feature that
allows applicants to skip questions that don't apply to them. "As many as 22 questions can be eliminated," said Randy J. Ulses,
senior associate director of student financial aid at the University of
Cincinnati.
“Certainly, students should be applying for scholarships and aid,” said
Randy Ulses, senior associate director of financial aid at UC [University of Cincinnati]. “It’s a
first-come, first-serve basis.”
- On the federal student loan program and the importance of avoiding default (from the Omaha World Herald):
“We’re loaning money to 18- to 22-year-olds without jobs and without
assets,” said Craig Munier, director of financial aid at the University
of Nebraska-Lincoln. “This is a social program. We put our
taxpayer dollars at risk because we think there’s a greater potential
to society with education.” Munier said the federal student loan
program offers options to avoid situations such as the one faced by
Ann: loan deferments, if students return to college; forbearances, if
they haven’t yet found jobs in their fields; and reduced payment plans,
if they enter a public service field. He said his office works
with former students who are late with payments so the situation can be
fixed before their loans go into default. “Default is a terrible place to be,” Munier said. “The federal government has a long, long memory.”
- On growth of Pell Grants at Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) (from StarNews Online):
At CFCC alone, the Pell
grant program has awarded a whopping 116 percent more money than last
year, with 61 percent more students receiving the grants. “More people are qualifying for more money because of the economy, because so many more people are out of work,” Craig said.
- "Sinclair Community College started its winter quarter Monday, Jan.
4, with 24,204 degree and credit course students, nearly 7 percent more
than in winter 2009, according to college officials. Sinclair
also has 14,960 full-time equivalent students for winter term — nearly
15 percent more than last year at this time, officials said. Figures are not final or official, as students continue to enroll...Students are taking heavier course loads and “seem to be more serious about finishing their degrees,” Johnson said."
- "Registration for the spring semester starting Jan. 17 at Edison
Community College in Piqua is up 20 percent to 25 percent over last
year at this time, according to college officials. Edison’s
enrollment last January exceeded 3,400. “This year it could approach
4,000, a record-breaking, all-time high,” said Jack Kramer, college
spokesman."
Update: Thanks to Kevin Bruns of America's Student Loan Providers (ASLP) for tagging this other interesting quote which captures one financial aid director's perspective on managing cohort default rates:
Financial
aid officers said community colleges and private vocational schools
tend to see higher default rates because the students they serve tend
to be pressed for time and money, while some have struggled
academically. ...
The
University of Nebraska-Lincoln had the lowest default rate in the Big
12 conference, 2.6 percent for 2006-07 loans, Munier said, an
improvement from a decade ago, when it ranked among the top third. It wasn’t because of anything the financial aid office did, he said. We raised our admissions standards, so that we have better
academically prepared students,” he said.