College is assumed to be a rewarding experience.
Students choose to continue their education with the hopes that their hard
work and effort will result in a choice career and financial stability. For
some families, college is an easy decision; they have the means to fund
expensive post-secondary education. For other families, college may seem to
be a necessary but difficult decision. The decision is necessary so the
student will be better equipped to secure financial stability, but it is a
difficult decision because continuing education is another financial
setback. Middle-class families cannot always depend on financial aid or
other forms of help and are often left to find alternative means to cover
these costs. Most families can structure a plan to cover four years of
college, but what happens when the "four year degree" expands into more
semesters and more money?
I am thoroughly disgusted with the current state of my college career. I
have been unable to secure any financial assistance or guidance in my three
years of college. Why? Simply put, I'm not 23, and therefore have to include
my parents' income on my FAFSA (my parents' income is actually my mom's
unemployment benefits, which have ceased, and my stepfather's salary, who
technically has no financial obligation to me). I have, yet again, filed for
financial aid while keenly aware that higher education funding has been
severely cut and expenses are rising. I can handle one more year of college
tuition out of my pocket (with an annual income of less than $14,000 to
support my living expenses) or with the hope that my unemployed mother can
magically make more money appear. Needless to say, I was absolutely appalled
when the course schedules came out for the summer and fall and I discovered
that there is virtually no way for me to graduate on time. "Disappointed"
doesn't even begin to describe my feelings! Try scared of another year of
scrapping to make my modest ends meet, and fury that I've busted my butt
doing everything I can. But I'm getting duped anyway.
The lethal combination of limited class availbility, overlapping class
times, and scattered class times will prevent me and countless others from
receiving degrees in time. I fail to understand why required classes are
offered only once and at overlapping times, other required courses are
offered late in the day, and still others early in the morning (making it
virtually impossible to work full time). This predicament feels like an
extended jail sentence. I am patiently waiting for the university to step in
and help me develop a solution to my problem. But I have the sickening
feeling that I'll be forced to accept more time in school, which equates to
more tuition costs and lost wages.
Responses:
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Name: Nick
Comments:
Okay everyone, I goofed on my earlier feedback. I sounded a bit angry towards Radford as a whole, and I am not. I think the phased registration was a success, and although the budget cuts have hurt us, I certianly believe the faculty and staff at RU truly care about the students. I know this because I have numerous very kind staff memebers helping me out right now with things like letters of recomendation, fine-tuning of resumes, and of course, the classes they teach. However, I was quite upset when an unnamed faculty member told me that it really wasn't his problem that i could stay in school for SEVEN years to get a B.S. That kind of made me feel bad, not even a "I wish there was something we could do" or a "we will help you however we can". I am pleased, however, to admit that the same faculty member has recently proved me wrong by taking the initiative to help me out a bit. I just wish he could have felt the same way the first time we met.
Name: Greg
Year: Junior
Major: Journalism
Comments:
Good article. I feel that I could add to this, too. I transferred to RU in 2000 (Spring)as a CS major, then after a few semesters I switched to IS and finally to Journalism. I've had trouble, too making it to class (for one) and other reasons. It's not easy and the whole thing is screwed up, screwing us all over. Luckily, I get enough Financial Aid to cover the costs (loans and grants). Sometimes I wonder if this thing called college isn't pointless. Very few are at this college to get an education, everyone else is here to party. *shakes head* But anyway, yeah, school sucks.
Name: Everyone Else
Year: 2003
Major: Recording Arts
Comments:
I concur. I have many friends that fall across the gray line of funding. I know many people myself included that straddle the aforementioned line. Your not alone.
Case in point: I myself stem from an upper class family. However my parents income is just above the margin for aid so that leaves me with a tidy some of debt. What does this amount to as a whole you might ask? Not much.
However I be willing to wager that the lack luster effort put forth by the finacial aid dept. cant help much. From personal exp. ive discovered that if you dig deep enough you can find the "Free" gov't money that all of us deprived middle class folks are desperately seeking.
I look into it and perhaps come up with some constuctive help in the near future.
Name: Valerie
Year: Junior
Major: MSTD
Comments:
Shaun,
You just gave me new hope. I had no idea that as a grad student you don't have to claim your parents! And, since I'll be a grad student at 21 that is simply fantastic!THANK YOU!
Name: Shaun
Year: Grad
Major: English
Comments:
Excellent article Valerie. I too had to contend with an inability to get financial aid (outside of loans), because of reporting my parent's income. All that changed when I started grad school (you're counted as an independent if you're a grad student), but still...
As for your point about middle-class families being unable to afford college, it's really nothing more than the establishment wishing to mainatain their power, and to keep out the working and middle class, who might pose a threat to it. Yeah, I read too much Marxist theory...
Name: Nick
Comments:
I told one of my advisors how silly it was to have to stay and take more classes over a longer period of time, and he just shrugged his shoulders and was like "oh well". OF COURSE THEY DON'T CARE! It means more money for them. I don't care what SteveDogg says, cutting the amount of classes avaliable is not how to help our budget problem! That is absolute crap. Don't feel alone Valerie, I know how you feel. Once again, great article!!
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Valerie Beelman | Staff Writer