State money and scholarships

sagelola · Aug 11, 2003

You don't happen to be from California, do you? We are having a heck of a time here with the expected $38 billion budget deficit. They have cut a lot of programs, have cut the budgets to ALL secondary education facilities, increased expectations on grant money available to students (you have to have a higher gpa). In turn, our CSU system has had to increase tuition 2 times in the last couple of months. We JUST got a 30% increase in fees again this semester. They will also have to deny entry to 30,000 students who would like admission in the next school year (2004/2005).

It makes it very difficult for those students trying to get a college education.

essarge · Aug 11, 2003

No, from the east coast. Seems like the politicians while stating how important and education is, are targeting that area first. What I see in the future? Only the wealthy will be able to get an education....sad!! That's why I feel that all the students on this board should write their respective congress members...or if you are of the mind to do it, the president!!

NurseStacey143, ADN, RN · Aug 11, 2003

I am not sure but we dont seem to have this problem in Texas. Most of the people I know have recieved a grant or a scholarship or like me....both. Good Luck though!

Stacey

essarge · Aug 11, 2003

Here there are a few federal grants and scholarships but, the state only has two available and it is more than a little competitive!

renerian, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2003

I think as Americans we think we can have everything we want. I know as a taxpayer, I worked from January to May to pay all the taxes we owe in Ohio which sucks. I personally would love for my four college kids to get scholarships but cripe there is only so much money to work with. I think we have to figure out our wants/needs and I do not necessarily think grants/scholarships are a need. JMHO as a mom who has liquidated my entire retirement account and have helped my kids get a student loans for school. That is what I did too for my schooling.

renerian

essarge · Aug 12, 2003

Renerian,

I just believe that EVERYONE should be able to afford an education. Including college. In this day and age, it is near impossible to get a job that pays the cost of living (barely) without one. I DO believe that it is the government's job to help people make that a reachable, affordable, goal.

While I understand that there are loans available, with the cost of education now, it is impossible to get enough money to make ends meet with just loans, especially for non-traditional students.

Therefore, unless the government puts a "cap" on what colleges can charge for a post-secondary education, I feel that they need to look at where they can get monies from for grants and scholarships. Or perhaps, disallow colleges to charge "fees" for things that students never even see.

Jen2 · Aug 12, 2003

This is my 2 cents. The rich can afford to pay for their education. Where I go to school, I see many people on welfare who get their textbooks paid for by the state. They get to leave their children in our schools daycare for free. They also have transportation to come to their homes and take them too and from class. All the while these are the same people buying t-bones with food stamps at the grocery store, while I am purchasing Ramen noodles. They are also getting housing assistance. Please forgive me if it sounds as if I am generalizing, because I am not! This is just my personal experience with some people who go to my college, and yes there is at least one in every one of my classes.

Guess who is fitting the bill? Me! I make $10.00 an hour as a phlebotomist, and do not qualify for grants. So what! Get loans you say! Well, believe me I am . I get the maximum amount of subsidized and unsubsidized for each semester, but this still does not cover my texts, uniforms, supplies, gas and living expenses. While I am getting the maximim amount, it is only enough to cover tuition. It also takes every penny I make to pay my bills alone. So you can say that yes it would be nice to get a grant to pay for the $$$ textbooks.

Who came to my house and picked me up when my transmission went in my car? Who helps me with rent? Who gives me vouchers to purchase my textbooks? Who helps me with groceries? Nobody! I don't make enough money to make ends meat, but there are some people out there getting a free ride while you and I work to pay for that. I have also seen some of the people that are getting free rides, who don't work FLUNK out. I actually had a girl in my English class say that she didn't work because she is already getting everything she needs from the state. She didn't work but she failed English 15. I on the other hand worked 40 hours a week and got an A.

On the other hand there are many people on assistance who are truly grateful for the opportunity that they have and do well. This is great because their education will eventually get them off assistance. I am just angered about the people I have encountered getting a free ride and throw it away. Again, I am not generalizing. This is just my opinion and personal experiences with some at my school. Sorry for rambling so long but yes we do need more grant money for people like me and others who have the inteligence to succeed, working their rear ends off, and are just not getting a break. I will get off my soap box now.

essarge · Aug 12, 2003

Jen,

I understand your frustration of watching people take advantage of a system that was put in place during the depression to help with unemployment. Statistics show that some families on the welfare system are generational and are just doing what they learned. Most states (mine included) have a fairly new law called 2+2....meaning two children max will be paid for and two years max is all you get. This is why you are seeing more people attempting to get a higher education.

As far as food stamps go, the same applies. But that is really a horse of another color. Many, many, many people get food stamps because the government has neglected to keep wages up to par with the cost of living. These people include the military who defend our country, the CNA that you may have worked with last week etc. Not all of them buy steaks but that is neither here nor there.

As far as loans go...I will owe close to $48,000 when I graduate. Having had to take out the max to barely make ends meet, while working a full time job also. That is why I said the government needs to implement something to make schooling more affordable for everyone.

You will always find lazy people who want everything handed to them in every walk of life. But those that work very hard to get to their goals need a little break now and then!

Jen2 · Aug 12, 2003

Exactly. That is what I mean, and again I am not generalizing. Many people do not abuse the system, but many are. I live in the poorest county in my state and I probably see it more often. I have worked in physicians offices where we had patients on disability that came into the office 2-3 x's a month for pain. Then I see them at Wal-Mart with no cane, reaching for a heavy object on the top shelf. However, thats another story. It is very frustrating for people like me and I just do not feel that the system works. I who have a 3.7 GPA, work, and go to school, can't get nothing.

Lisa1970 · Aug 13, 2003

I have a friend who lives in Germany. She is a nurse there. The government there paid her to go to school. She did have to sign agreeing to work in Germany as a nurse for a period of time. The cost of school was her time. Why is there nothing like that here?

Her classes consisted of nursing classes. not english, gym and the other whatnot classes. Math was taught with the skills.

It really does not sound so bad.

manna, BSN, RN · Aug 13, 2003

Originally posted by Lisa1970
She did have to sign agreeing to work in Germany as a nurse for a period of time. The cost of school was her time. Why is there nothing like that here?
Her classes consisted of nursing classes. not english, gym and the other whatnot classes. Math was taught with the skills.

There are programs like that here - I'm not sure how competitive they are to qualify for, or if they're based on financial need or not, though.

I'm pretty sure that the reason for all the general ed and seemingly unrelated classes is that we all turn out as supposedly "well-rounded" people with a broad education not narrowly defined to one distinctive subject area... it is frustrating, though. :)