<p>Saw this in our local newspaper and thought it might be of interest:</p>
<p>Roselawnmom, I couldn’t make your link work so here is another one:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.newsok.com/private-colleges-move-to-rein-in-financial-aid/article/3438422?custom_click=lead_story_title]NewsOK[/url”>http://www.newsok.com/private-colleges-move-to-rein-in-financial-aid/article/3438422?custom_click=lead_story_title]NewsOK[/url</a>]</p>
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<p>Ahhh, about time. This never made sense and glad to see it is being fixed. Now if colleges would just move most of their aid from need based to merit based, it would be a boon to the middle class.</p>
<p>I am sure I will get heat from those who will say this will disadvantage low income families - but from an economic and student recruitment persepctive, colleges could make their aid budget go further and do more good with smaller awards spread over more students than large awards concentrated with fewer students</p>
<p>Berry, one of the things that is challenging for your proposal (“just move most of their aid from need based to merit base would be a boon to the middle class”) is the changing realities for the “middle class.”</p>
<p>$70K annual income goes pretty far if you live in rural Kansas. Not so good if you live in a major city with huge housing costs. </p>
<p>We also have inflation. So we are not making the choice between one poor kid on a $40K scholarship “making it” vs. 4 middle class kids on a $10K scholarship “making it” to graduation. In reality, NONE of the kids gets to the finish line these days without huge amounts of debt. It is crazy. The need hole is growing faster than paychecks.</p>
<p>Thanks Kajon.
Try this link for the entire original AP article:</p>
<p>[The</a> Associated Press: Private colleges looking to rein in financial aid](<a href=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g9-Vs2WwDCdYg7NhIvQ8m3dbGRZQD9DP082O3]The”>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g9-Vs2WwDCdYg7NhIvQ8m3dbGRZQD9DP082O3)</p>
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<p>for the kids who need big aid packages to be able to consider top colleges, this isn’t “doing more good”…it’s simply helping the kids in better(but not fantastic) financial siutations. </p>
<p>If a kid on food stamps get the grades to go to Harvard they should not have to worry about the costs-that’s why our current financial aid system exists. Giving them a “smaller package” but one that is available to more students, DOESNT HELP THIS STUDENT…it turns their huge acceptance basically into a rejection</p>
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<p>I’m lower middle class and would not consider this to be the case…merit based aid normally doesn’t go nearly as far as need based and doesnt adjust for tuition increases. Like I said, a 10k merit aid award for me and 50 others isn’t nearly as helpful as giving EACH of us what we need. …some will pay 50k, some will pay 0, most will pay between 20 and 30k…but it’s the way the system needs to function</p>
<p>Financial aid is NOT one size fits all</p>