Posted on 06/05/2009 9:31:40 AM PDT by bs9021
The Pell Grant Pendulum
by: Alana Goodman, June 05, 2009
President Obama’s recent commitment to raise the U.S. graduation rate to the highest in the world has left education policy experts conflicted on how to best increase college access and affordability.
At a panel discussion on the future of student financial aid hosted by the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and the Rethinking Student Aid Study Group (RSASG) presented differing proposals on steps the Obama administration can take to reform federal student aid.
The RSASG recommending that the maximum Pell Grant award be increased in conjunction with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus one percent, similar to the policy the Obama Administration is planning on implementing with the 2010-2011 school year, according to Obama’s student loan proposal for fiscal year 2010.
NSFAA President and CEO Dr. Philip Day disputed the RSASG’s proposal for Pell Grant increases, arguing that it was not enough to provide low income students with sufficient financial aid. “Consumer Price Index plus one [percent] is not going to get you there,” he said, pointing out that even with that increase the Pell Grant would still only cover 30 percent of the average college tuition.
“For most low income students, there is one bottom line: College costs too much,” Day told the panel. “No one should be denied access to higher education because of lack of resources.”
The NSFAA is calling for a maximum Pell Grant award that would cover 70 percent of the average price of a four-year public college.....
(Excerpt) Read more at campusreportonline.net ...
The way to increase graduation rates is to deny admission to losers until they prove themselves out in the wonderful world of gainful employment.
In other words, admit students on merit ONLY, without the artificial constraints of “diversity” - which clearly is being applied only to externalities, not ideas.
“No one should be denied access to higher education because of lack of resources.”
Perhaps. But should they be denied access to a higher education due to low intelligence or a lack of drive/committment?
The latest numbers I heard, just yesterday, had the average graduation rate for four year colleges at 53% (and that is after 6 years). Let me repeat that: Four year colleges in the U.S., on average, graduate only a little over HALF of their students, after SIX years.
Far from people being denied the opportunity to gop to college, I think we’re providing that “opportunity” to too many people.
Are you aware that there are people who register get the grants, attend classes until the drop date and then drop but get a check for the money? I was stunned to learn this when my friend went back to the community college to pursue a second career. She said classes are much calmer and organized after the drop date, when they get rid of the free riders.
How much can they be getting, 500-1000? And they do this semester after semester!!!!
So I think a good beginning would be to stop issuing the refund to the drop out. You quit school you don’t get the money, it goes back to the lending agency. And you are not allowed unlimited enrollments.
My son’s experience was that at every level of education he attained: B.A., M.A., Law School at the way up to JD, he needed more qualifications to get a good job. Result: all the qualifications, lots of internship experience, well over $200,000 in loans and currently no job.
One of the unintended results of these loans is that the ‘learning institutions’ can raise their fees way faster than inflation, pay themselves large salary increases, and build lovely buildings.
Are more kids getting better education - I am not so sure.
President Obama’s recent commitment to raise the U.S. graduation rate to the highest in the world
That’s easy. Use the Chicago Grading Curve and I’m sure you can get that rate up to 105%. (counting some dead people, of course...)
The result of that would be an unprecedented and massive increase in tuition costs from coast to coast.
FREE MONEY!
The result of that would be an unprecedented and massive increase in tuition costs from coast to coast.
FREE MONEY!
Too damned many people go to college now to study (ha!) completely useless crap. We’s all be better off if colleges fired half their faculty and disenrolled at least 1/4 of current students. The Marxist indoctrination factories must be terminated.
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