Congress has been increasingly interested in the rapid increases in college costs in recent years. Through the HEOA, Congress will be highlighting institutions that increase college costs the most to draw public scrutiny. Some believe that financial aid actually contributes to rising college costs.

These college cost issue raises important questions about the role of financial aid. Should the financial aid system enable every qualified student to attend any college, no matter the cost? What are your thoughts?

Some aid administrators view borrowing as a good thing for students, regardless of their background, because it teaches fiscal management and makes a student feel invested in his or her education. Others argue that borrowing creates inequity by placing a heavier burden on lower income students and say loans should be replaced with grants for students with financial need. Still others think borrowing to pay for college is inappropriate regardless of income and should be phased out.

Now it’s your turn:

• What role should loans play in helping students pay for college?
• Should all undergraduate students be expected to borrow? None?
• What about graduate students?

At the NCI Listening Sessions NASFAA has learned about many programs and efforts that are working to increase college access for economically disadvantaged, underserved, and underrepresented student groups. Based on your experience in the student aid profession, please comment on the following:

• In your experience in the financial aid field, what have you seen as the most effective ways to channel these student groups into a postsecondary institution? Why do you think these methods are so effective?
• Conversely, what are some methods that are not so effective? Why do you think they were not as effective?
• How critical is the role played by student aid in college access for these populations? What other factors are involved?

During NCI Listening Sessions being held across the country, NASFAA has asked attendees, “Should financial aid be used as a tool to level the playing field for economically disadvantaged, underserved, and underrepresented student groups?”

The overwhelming answer to this question has been an emphatic, “YES!”  However, recent trends in student aid have been moving the system away from this goal. Please let us know how this affects your office by answering any or all of the following questions:

• What does the current system do right? In what ways does the current financial aid system effectively level the playing field for economically disadvantaged, underserved, and underrepresented student groups?
• What is wrong with the current system? In what ways does the current financial aid system not level the playing field for economically disadvantaged, underserved, and underrepresented student groups?

At recent NCI listening sessions, NASFAA members offered recommendations for increasing early awareness and fostering college-going expectations. Some recommendations included

• Requiring  high school students to take a college prep course that includes financial aid information
• Using prior, prior year tax information to let students know what they will be eligible for earlier

What do you think of these ideas? Do you have other recommendations? How would you redesign the system to increase early awareness and foster college-going attitudes?