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Today's Poll!Program to help college students’ parents apply for financial aid
Nichols part of FAFSA Frenzy
Pat Wright-Tatum, right, assists Dawn Price-Whitlock as she fills out forms online to apply for student loans. Price-Whitlock’s daughter hopes to attend college soon. The Missouri Department of Higher Education will host an event at Nichols Career Center and Lincoln University at which families can apply for education financing. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Photo by Julie Smith.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Since Dawn Price-Whitlock’s daughter was 5 years old, she has wanted to be a nurse. In the fall, she was accepted into the health science program at Nichols Career Center in Jefferson City. And this winter, she was accepted to the University of Central Missouri.
But financing that dream could be a challenge. That’s why Price-Whitlock went to see Pat Wright-Tatum, financial aid administrator at Nichols.
A first step for most parents looking at college expenses in the fall should be the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
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Comments
jeffcitygirl 2 years, 3 months ago
I never will understand why it's a "parents" responsibility these days to finance an adult child's college education... Get loans, grants, scholarships, work, pay it yourself, you're GROWN. And people wonder why today's generation has a problem with feeling entitled.....
Souperstar 2 years, 3 months ago
Couldn't agree more, especially with the number of employers willing to help pay for an education even at entry-level positions.
Kishia85 2 years, 3 months ago
A lot of people don't know this, but when you complete a FAFSA, you have to declare your parents income. Unless you are married, have a child, disabled, over a certain age, etc, you are considered a dependent according to FAFSA guidelines and you must claim your parents income, even if you support yourself. This factors in to how much you can receive in loans and grants. Furthermore, it is quite an assumption that if a parent helps finance a student's education, then the student did not do anything to help, and he or she must feel entitled.
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
Good point. I put myself through college with scholarships, and by working full time on breaks and part time in session. My parents didn't help me at all, none. I had be claimed as dependent. It kept me from getting as much in grants and loans as I could have if I wouldn't have been claimed by them. If I had been independent, I would have zero student loans remaining right now. They need to change that.
But I do agree with jeffcitygirl, there is a major problem with people my age and a false sense of entitlement.
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
Help me understand what you mean. Are you saying they should change their independency requirements like we are? Or are you being clever?
If it's the latter, nobody said to wait to go to college, we're saying FAFSA needs to change their M.O. Some people are independent before age 24. If nothing else, it should be grounds for an age discrimination suit. How can we expect kids to grow up and be responsible while simultaneously punishing them for doing so?
Do you know how frustrating it is to fill out your own FAFSA with your parents info when they aren't helping you? To get less grant money AND a higher interst rate on loans because you are more responsible than your peers and working twice as hard is simply a slap in the face!
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
Ok, thanks. I was just asking because half of the time people are just sniping at each other on here.
JMO 2 years, 3 months ago
I completely believe that you should not have to claim your parent's income if you aren't claimed as a dependant on their taxes, at a minimum. 24 is ridiculous! Most people are out of college well before that. I had friends like you Rison, who's parent's either wouldn't or couldn't pay for school. I remember one girl who's parent's had enough income she didn't qualify for any aid at all and they refused to sign loan documents, so she worked two jobs.
How wrong is it that I was lucky to be extremely low-income? We weren't poor, per se, they owned our home, etc., but my parent's were quite old - late 30's and early 50's - when I was born, so by the time I was ready for college, my dad was retired and drawing social security, which made up the whole of the household income. Because of that, I qualified for Pell Grants and didn't have to take out many loans for college. I did eventually, but for grad school - totally my own doing. Granted, it was 25+ years ago that I went to college, and everything is higher now. My husband actually only got his BS a couple years ago, going to night school. But the middle-class income my husband and I have will be too high for grants and too low to pay for our son's college ourselves, so FAFSA here we come.
Kishia85 2 years, 3 months ago
I'm with you. So I had to drop out of college my sophomore year, save up money for two years and transfer to a much smaller school. The system does not set us up to succeed.
JCsleeper 2 years, 3 months ago
And then when they get their Bachelor's Degree, they can't find a job in the current market and have to move back home. Fun ain't it? No wonder we have to keep 'em on our insurance until age 26.
ProudParent 2 years, 3 months ago
I not surprized by all the negative comments! I will contiue to assist my Child to live her Dream!. People allways find the negative in all things positive. She has no sense of Ientitlement!She has a Mother who wants her to success! A Mother who has broken barrier thru out her life and has provided the tools neccessary for her Child to successed! Its sad that all Parent dont do it! and to the JC Sleeper not all Children fail and come home! she has picked the career that will keep her employed! I feel sorry for your need to be so negative! I AM PROUD OF THE LOVE I HAVE FOR MY CHILD!
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
I don't think anyone was saying anything negative about you or your daughter. I think it is great that you are helping her live her dream. My comment was only meant to be critical of the FAFSA. I wish my parents would've been able/willing to help me.
Kishia85 2 years, 3 months ago
I'm with you. The FAFSA doesn't necessarily set students up to be independent, in any sense of the word. It automatically assumes that because of your age, your parents are helping. Not all of us are that lucky. Not every parent can help, and unfortunately, not every parent is willing to help. Maybe if I would have got some help, I wouldn't be in debt in student loans for the rest of my life. :-) Furthermore, it was mentioned that these students "are grown" and should have to pay for it on their own. I understand why people say that. However, realistically, is an 18 year old really a "grown adult." Definitely not. You can't throw a teenager out into the world and automatically expect them to be an adult. Then our generation is criticized for being irresponsible, in addition to "entitled."
JMO 2 years, 3 months ago
In three years, my son will be going to college. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that we didn't plan for it and didn't put any money away for it. I suppose that's partly because like most people, we pretty much live paycheck to paycheck and end up using savings in emergencies when it builds up a tad. We're working to reduce our debt, but it won't be enough to have free cash in three years. I had grants and loans for school and his father had loans. Problem is, we are still paying ours and won't be done for another 10 years or so. As a result, we'll be trying to help him while still paying ours! I want my son to go to college and succeed and will help as best I can, but he's going to be doing a lot on his own. It's just so expensive anymore.
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
It will be good for him. Like I said above, it would've been nice to have more help, but it's possible to do either way. Because I was working, I wasn't able to party like crazy, so I made better grades. Plus, I made some good job contacts for after graduation. The student loans aren't fun (as you know), but I feel like I came out better for having to do a lot myself, I learned to be more responsible.
Kishia85 2 years, 3 months ago
I agree with Rison that it is possible to do. Not every parent can help their child with college financially. But I think the parent helping in this story wasn't necessarily just helping financially. She is also helping her daughter look for other financial aid opportunities.
jcjay92 2 years, 3 months ago
First and for most let me say that I do not feel that it is my parents responsibility to do anything for me. Everything my parents have done for me is because they have wanted to. I do not appreciate how I am being betrayed as a lazy individual because my parents want to help me pay my way through college to better myself so I will not have to live paycheck to paycheck. I do in fact plan to work as a CNA through college and the Health Sciences program at Nichols Career Center has allowed me to do so. My parents, neither do I, want me to have to spend years paying off finacial loans and I appreciate their help and support very much, not everyone has parents like mine to be such a strong support system and I am very grateful for them. I have set goals and plans for my life and I have been given the opportunity to achieve them because of my determination and help from my parents, it is a team effort not just them doing all the work and providing all of my tution money.
JMO 2 years, 3 months ago
I'm sure your parents are very proud of you. You sound like a responsible, mature young lady. I don't think you are the intended target of any negative posts here. Rather it's the student loan industry itself that is a problem, that requires parents to apply for the loans or makes the kids do without if the parents won't help.
Kishia85 2 years, 3 months ago
Say that! You can have supportive parents with out being bratty or entitled. I wish I would have had the support network that you have. Not every family considers it a "team effort" and you know that and are appreciative of that. That's what is important! People think it is one extreme or the other. Either you are a spoiled brat and your parents pay for everything, or you have terrible parents who don't help you with anything. What they don't understand - and what the FAFSA doesn't understand - is that you can have a balance of both. Your parents can support you in ways that still encourage you to be independent and take care of yourself. So do what you do! Be appreciative and take advantage of the support that is offered. Don't ever feel guilty about it. One day you'll graduate and become a good proud momma too. :-)
Rison 2 years, 3 months ago
Great post. Very true.
jeffcitygirl 2 years, 3 months ago
I totally meant no disrespect towards the girl in the article and never meant for her to feel attacked. I was talking in general, in this society, it's expected that parents help pay for an adult child's education and that just baffles me. Great if you want to or can help as a parent. I just feel my job is done when they graduate high school and I get tired of feeling guilty from people looking down on me because I don't feel I should be expected to foot the bill. Nor do I feel I should have to pay for weddings or any of that stuff either. Maybe it is jealousy b/c my parents didn't pay for it for me..who knows. I never meant to target the person in the story, just kids now a days in general. The whole helicopter parent generation makes me nuts. Then again I moved out and was on my own at 17...
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