A government plan to simplify the current financial aid application process was reported by the New York Times yesterday. The aim of this new plan is to reduce the number of questions on the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) form to make it easier for families to apply for financial aid.
While simplification is a laudable goal, the plan does nothing to address the affordability of higher education. Need calculations will remain the same, limiting the number of families who qualify for federal assistance and, by extension, institutional assistance as the FAFSA is the yardstick most institutions use to determine family need. As I posted earlier this month, Grinnell’s President Osgood recently wrote an op-ed for The Chronicle of Higher Education on the need to fix the FAFSA.
Making the financial aid process more user-friendly is a step in the right direction but without reworking the calculation of need we’re simply putting a new cover on an old story.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The skinny on ‘13
You might be wondering why I’ve been strangely silent the last month in SethAllenSays-land about the incoming class. It’s not because the admission office and I were on vacation (though that’s a tempting thought!) but rather because we activated our waitlist during the month of May.
So what does the incoming class look like? You remember from earlier posts that our planned for first-year class number was 385. Currently, we’re at 383 students and if history repeats itself we’ll likely be at 375 members in the Class of ‘13 by the time September rolls around. Coupled with a strong pool of enrolling transfer students, we seem to be on track with our enrollment this year.
For those of you who want the numbers, here’s a partial profile of the first-year class as of June 12, 2009:
· 66% of new students reporting rank are in the top 10% of their high school class.
· The first-year class has the same male/female ratio as last year's class at 46%/54%.
· Domestic students of color make up 25% of the entering first-year class.
· International students make up 13% of the incoming first-year class.
· Incoming students are from 43 states and 29 countries.
On a related note, I was happy to see that The Chronicle of Higher Education picked up an op-ed by the president of Grinnell College, Russell K. Osgood, on the need to fix the FAFSA. Economic conditions this year may have exacerbated many families’ need but it’s clear that for higher education to remain viable for most families, the current system of determining need must change.
So what does the incoming class look like? You remember from earlier posts that our planned for first-year class number was 385. Currently, we’re at 383 students and if history repeats itself we’ll likely be at 375 members in the Class of ‘13 by the time September rolls around. Coupled with a strong pool of enrolling transfer students, we seem to be on track with our enrollment this year.
For those of you who want the numbers, here’s a partial profile of the first-year class as of June 12, 2009:
· 66% of new students reporting rank are in the top 10% of their high school class.
· The first-year class has the same male/female ratio as last year's class at 46%/54%.
· Domestic students of color make up 25% of the entering first-year class.
· International students make up 13% of the incoming first-year class.
· Incoming students are from 43 states and 29 countries.
On a related note, I was happy to see that The Chronicle of Higher Education picked up an op-ed by the president of Grinnell College, Russell K. Osgood, on the need to fix the FAFSA. Economic conditions this year may have exacerbated many families’ need but it’s clear that for higher education to remain viable for most families, the current system of determining need must change.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Oh the places you'll go
I read with keen interest the mid-May Senior Issue of Grinnell’s student newspaper, The Scarlett and Black, devoted to the launch of newly minted Grinnell graduates from the Class of 2009. A quick review of post-graduate plans reveals:
• a large slice of the class heading overseas for work, service, or both in countries such as Egypt, China, and Guatemala;
• another large percentage going on to graduate school in disciplines ranging from astronomy and engineering to history and international studies;
• an inclination to test driving their liberal arts degrees in such varied pursuits as joining the circus, farming, earning a commercial pilot certificate, and touring with the Dave Matthews Band.
Author Thomas Friedman addressed the Class of 2009 during this year’s commencement, calling them the “re-generation” and asking them to use their imagination to renew America. I’d say they are off to a good start by the variety of paths they are taking.
I can’t help but think that just four and a half years ago these graduates going out into the word were navigating the undergraduate admission frenzy of standardized testing, GPAs, extracurricular accomplishments, letters of recommendation and commendation, and essays. Now look at them. If you’re a student, you may find it hard during the college search process to shift your eyes to a point more distant than “will I be admitted” but I assure you it is worth doing. The prize isn’t getting into college; it’s what you choose to do with your educational opportunities once you are there and how those choices prepare you to lead your life to the fullest.
• a large slice of the class heading overseas for work, service, or both in countries such as Egypt, China, and Guatemala;
• another large percentage going on to graduate school in disciplines ranging from astronomy and engineering to history and international studies;
• an inclination to test driving their liberal arts degrees in such varied pursuits as joining the circus, farming, earning a commercial pilot certificate, and touring with the Dave Matthews Band.
Author Thomas Friedman addressed the Class of 2009 during this year’s commencement, calling them the “re-generation” and asking them to use their imagination to renew America. I’d say they are off to a good start by the variety of paths they are taking.
I can’t help but think that just four and a half years ago these graduates going out into the word were navigating the undergraduate admission frenzy of standardized testing, GPAs, extracurricular accomplishments, letters of recommendation and commendation, and essays. Now look at them. If you’re a student, you may find it hard during the college search process to shift your eyes to a point more distant than “will I be admitted” but I assure you it is worth doing. The prize isn’t getting into college; it’s what you choose to do with your educational opportunities once you are there and how those choices prepare you to lead your life to the fullest.
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