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McCaskill, constituents discuss federal aid anxiety
Tyler Allen
Issue date: 10/26/09 Section: News
Growing concern about federal financial aid for college students was the focus of a round table discussion with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., last Friday.
McCaskill invited representatives from four Missouri universities (The University of Missouri - Columbia, UMKC, University of Missouri - St. Louis and Missouri University of Science and Technology) to join the discussion via video teleconference. Most of the concerns focused on the difficulty of actually filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
"When you look at 100 questions, that automatically makes you feel like there is a barrier even before you begin the process," said Jeanette Brandow, UMKC director of Financial Aid. "A lot of it is about education and making sure everyone knows how to complete that form."
Brandow expressed her concern that many UMKC students have to take on full-time jobs while in school because federal aid does not provide sufficient funds.
Sami Ware, a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, reiterated Brandow's concerns about the FAFSA application.
"It's definitely been a struggle," Ware said. "I would echo that FAFSA is a very difficult process."
Ware also pointed out that FAFSA considers how much a student's parents make, but does not take the parents' debt into account.
Graduate student Jeff Tellin, of the University of Missouri - St. Louis, focused on aid for graduate students.
"I think the profile for a graduate student has changed in the last 10 or 20 years," he said.
He argued that members of his generation, generation X or generation Y, are entering graduate school right after they earn their bachelor's degree.
He said with the changing economy, a graduate degree will become necessary to enter a career.
"So we need to start thinking about how we're going to fund that," he said.
Among the students and faculty members on hand were concerned parents.
Sandra Ray has three children in college and recounted their FAFSA application experience.
"This past January, we sat down with our kids and we completed three financial aid packets," she said. "That was the most trying time as a family. It was a struggle."
She suggested more community involvement, such as parents who are familiar with the application helping other parents who may not be well-versed in FAFSA.
McCaskill expressed her interest in putting together a team of students, parents and faculty members from varying backgrounds to come up with their ideal FAFSA application.
After listening to her constituents, McCaskill said she would take what she learned back to her peers in Washington, D.C.
"We will immediately draw our list of concerns based on what I've learned today to see if we can't start impacting what's in the legislation so that we don't wind up back in one of these meetings two years from now," she said.
tallen@unews.com
McCaskill invited representatives from four Missouri universities (The University of Missouri - Columbia, UMKC, University of Missouri - St. Louis and Missouri University of Science and Technology) to join the discussion via video teleconference. Most of the concerns focused on the difficulty of actually filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
"When you look at 100 questions, that automatically makes you feel like there is a barrier even before you begin the process," said Jeanette Brandow, UMKC director of Financial Aid. "A lot of it is about education and making sure everyone knows how to complete that form."
Brandow expressed her concern that many UMKC students have to take on full-time jobs while in school because federal aid does not provide sufficient funds.
Sami Ware, a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, reiterated Brandow's concerns about the FAFSA application.
"It's definitely been a struggle," Ware said. "I would echo that FAFSA is a very difficult process."
Ware also pointed out that FAFSA considers how much a student's parents make, but does not take the parents' debt into account.
Graduate student Jeff Tellin, of the University of Missouri - St. Louis, focused on aid for graduate students.
"I think the profile for a graduate student has changed in the last 10 or 20 years," he said.
He argued that members of his generation, generation X or generation Y, are entering graduate school right after they earn their bachelor's degree.
He said with the changing economy, a graduate degree will become necessary to enter a career.
"So we need to start thinking about how we're going to fund that," he said.
Among the students and faculty members on hand were concerned parents.
Sandra Ray has three children in college and recounted their FAFSA application experience.
"This past January, we sat down with our kids and we completed three financial aid packets," she said. "That was the most trying time as a family. It was a struggle."
She suggested more community involvement, such as parents who are familiar with the application helping other parents who may not be well-versed in FAFSA.
McCaskill expressed her interest in putting together a team of students, parents and faculty members from varying backgrounds to come up with their ideal FAFSA application.
After listening to her constituents, McCaskill said she would take what she learned back to her peers in Washington, D.C.
"We will immediately draw our list of concerns based on what I've learned today to see if we can't start impacting what's in the legislation so that we don't wind up back in one of these meetings two years from now," she said.
tallen@unews.com
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