[Bubba_Leroy]

The writer is a first-year graduate student at American University working toward a master's degree in public administration.

That pretty much says it all.

[bboop]

Just another wah-sad story. Get the violin.

[bybybill]

Sure a lot of I`s and me`s in this story.

[jwalsh07]

As a benefit of serving in the US Army 30 some years ago, I got some help going to college. I worked nights to support my family at the same time. I suggest she do the same.

[ClearCase_guy]

qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid

Translation: I'm feeding at the public trough as much as I can, but it's not enough. It takes a village to support someone like me. And, by the way, my career in public administration will allow me to be supported by your tax dollars for the rest of my life. Please make this happen.

[Wolfhound777]

This is telling also:

I lack the substantial credit or employment history that is required...

Another parasite who doesn't work but wants a free ride

[VOA]

I am a single mother who qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid for graduate students.

This lady should have access to scholarships reserved for females; e.g.,
often raised by women's service organizations.
An old scholmate got a free ride to medical school (a state school) via
a scholarship targeted at older women.
IIRC, she entered med school at about age 35.

[BlessedBeGod]

We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America...

Speechless.

[msnimje]

Everybody I know had a little bit of baggage called "student loans" when they left college. I paid mine off in 10 years, 11 months and 16 days.

[SteveMcKing]

If she were in a worthy field, many programs pay about $25K stipend a year. That often breaks even with tuition and fees, plus a small amount left over to live very modestly.

But I have small sympathy for easy degree programs. "Work" is not a hobby, it's a headache by definition, and most humanity majors amount to glorified pastimes.

[Old Professer]

While the argument is fundamentally flawed, the writing was coherent and the grammar acceptable; however Bush has squandered Clinton's surplus and there is really no money left to administer, so I guess even if she is able to beg a few dollars over the next few years, she'll still be flipping burgers, hawking fries and swatting flies, or else she'll have to dig ditches.

[The people have spoken]

We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America.

If that's what she thinks the government is supposed to do, I hope she fails in her quest for a graduate degree.

In other fields, such as the sciences or liberal arts, graduate students pay for their education with the help of teaching assistantships. The claim that you need to be upper class to pursue a degree is totally bogus.

[SALChamps03]

I am by no means upper class, and I did what most people did to pay for grad school. I took out loans. I will be paying them back for years. That's life.

[ladyjane]

If you are in graduate school and you are not getting full support from the university you ought to re-think your goals.

If you still want to continue, in spite of lack of academic sponsorship, you need to figure out how to do it yourself.

BTW it is graduate school, not grad school.

[Dianna]

I am a single mother who qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid for graduate students. But this amount barely covers my tuition; paying for housing, books and living expenses is up to me.

Oh dear, her school loans only pay for school??!!

Furthermore, I can work only part-time jobs while in school; otherwise I would not qualify for child-care assistance.

She hamstrings herself and then complains about her restrictions.

[ladyjane]

Once you aspire beyond a bachelor's degree, the financial aid door is pretty much closed unless you, or your family, have the economic ability to finance whatever costs are not covered by your guaranteed federal student loans.

Man oh man do you have some strange ideas about graduate studies. You get money if you are academically talented and graduate schools are competing for you. Sometimes I just shake my head.

[EDINVA]

might have thought about grad school before becoming a single mother, doncha think ?

[Polybius]

Is access to graduate education in America exclusively for the upper class?

No.

My father lost everything to Castro in Cuba and then died when I was 16 leaving me nothing except a good upbringing and a work ethic which is the best thing he could have left me.

I made it through pre-med and medical school without a dollar's worth of help from my stepmother who had her hands full just keeping a roof over the heads of my siblings.

Now, I pay more yearly Federal income taxes than John Kerry does.

I am a single mother ........

Well, there is some stupidity and irresponsibility that even a Horatio Alger story will have a hard time overcoming.

[af_vet_1981]

s access to graduate education in America exclusively for the upper class?

As a first-year graduate student struggling to make ends meet, I believe the answer is yes. In my experience, searching for funding to pay the extensive costs of my higher education has been an upward climb leading only to dead ends.

I am a single mother who qualifies for the maximum amount in federal aid for graduate students. But this amount barely covers my tuition; paying for housing, books and living expenses is up to me.

Another woman who whines when strangers don't keep her in the style she wants to be accustomed to ...

[wbill]

I have a friend that decided 20 years of breaking steel was enough, so he went back to college.

Put himself through school while working 3 (sometimes 4) jobs. Managed to feed his four kids while he was at it. He *did* have plenty of help from his wife, but it still wasn't easy.

People like this punk trivialize what my friend accomplished.

[Myrddin]

We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America...

My paycheck stub says nearly 50% of everything I earn is getting distributed to someone else. Apparently this whining looter isn't happy with the largesse she is already skimming.