<p>IMO most of the financial aid FAFSA "inequities" complained about on these forums are from people who: 1) never saved a cent for college and expect aid because of that, and/or 2) never bothered to run the FAFSA or CSS calculators prior to applying to schools. It's the entitlement mentality.</p>
<p>Iron Maiden I don't completely agree about people saving for college. Many people, saw their children's college saving cut in half by the financial crisis. People who normally wouldn't have applied or qualified for financial aide will this year. What some people could have afforded 2 or 3 years ago when maybe their child started looking at schools has changed by both personal finances and the schools increasing prices. If a school's tuition, housing etc not to mention books and personal expenses increase $800-1500 or more your looking at an extra $3600-6000 dollars over 4 years and that is not peanuts to some. I would suspect many people would are embarressed to ask for financial aid. Multiply this by 3 kids in college like us and we could have bought a second house in this economy.</p>
<p>"IMO most of the financial aid FAFSA "inequities" complained about on these forums are from people who: 1) never saved a cent for college and expect aid because of that, and/or 2) never bothered to run the FAFSA or CSS calculators prior to applying to schools. It's the entitlement mentality."</p>
<p>We saved like mad. Our EFC is up the wazoo. What's wrong with the entitlement mentality when a lot of people wind up getting a lot in aid, grants, etc.?</p>
<p>Our plan was to use some really significant savings to fund years 1 through 3 and then take care of the balance out of current income. Whoops! There currently is no current income! lol OK, so those tuition figures I cited above are annual tuition... nice! (Thanks Packmom) UNC Chapel Hill: 4.4 percent from $5,228 to $5,456... so if I could qualify for in state tuition, not even remotely possible until June 2009, compare $5,456 to current discounted tuition of $21,320, Sure would be nice! But S2 would have to take a semester off to transfer as a junior. Unlikely, but worth looking into. </p>
<p>And my additional 2 cents is: Whatever "entitlement" attitudes may have existed previously, don't you think current conditions are fueling that sentiment? With the government handing out billions in bailout funds and now a stimulus package that is also a bunch of handouts isn't it human nature to stick your hand out and ask, "Hey, where's mine?" ? I applaud all who say, "No thanks, please give that money to someone more needy, and I will pay out of state tuition to help you balance your budget and pay for giveaways to other folks," but human nature suggests very few will do that.</p>
<p>"With the government handing out billions in bailout funds"</p>
<p>Trillions. And that to fat cat bankers.</p>
<p>Be all means let's restrict the "entitlement mentality" to Wall Street where the 35 thousand dollars spent on a "commode with legs" is far better spent then on education.</p>
<p>I don't know many folks who have been able to save enough to keep pace with increases double or triple the rate of inflation. Enjoy your bonus Iron Maiden! LOL</p>