October 10, 2008 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
A recent report from the Michigan League for Human Services has found
that while the important of post-secondary education has grown in
Michigan, financial aid for adults remains limited. This is
particularly troubling as tuition at four-year colleges in Michigan
has increased 20% since 2005 and 10% at two-year colleges.
The report finds tuition is a significant burden for families,
particularly those with older adults wishing to return to school or
gain additional job training. The report says that there are many
obstacles for adults, including the way the federal financial aid
system classifies people as "independent" and "dependent," which can
often lead to adults who are for all purposes "independent" having
their parents' income factored into the aid formula. Moreover, people
who make less than $8,750 per year do not need to file income tax, yet
a tax return is required for federal aid via the FASFA process. The
report also found that many state programs in Michigan that aim to
provide need based aid for people seeking to continue their education
have age cut-offs. Programs that are open to wider age ranges--such as
the Jobs, Education, and Training (JET) program and No Worker Left
Behind--tend to be underfunded. Many adult students also face
difficulties in receiving private loans due to credit checks according
to the report.
However, while there are several obstacles to attaining post-secondary
education and training, the report says that progress is being made
through legislation aimed at streamlining the FASFA process and making
aid programs more accessible. Even with these positive steps, the
report argues that Michigan should consider increasing the amount of
aid that it makes available to adult students.
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