Originally published June 25 2005
Columnist urges fellow students to explore all their options when funding their education
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
This column in the Arizona Daily Wildcat gives a rundown of the types of financial aid available to students, and also goes into why it's important for students and universities to learn more about the financial aid process.
While economist Milton Freidman believes that "there's no such thing as a free lunch," there are ways to ensure a virtually free college education.
Yet most students don't utilize the full potential of the intricate, chaotic world of the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Whether dubbed lazy, ignorant or apathetic, students need to start overcoming their personal financial-aid roadblocks in order to close the gap between the amount of money available and the amount actually dispensed.
Students must be willing to put in the time and effort needed to get the most out of the financial aid office.
The Department of Education offers the electronic FAFSA online, and it's much easier to handle than the paper version available on campus.
While it has flubbed in (many) other areas, our government still contributes positively to higher education through Pell grants.
Even with President Bush and Congress tightening eligibility requirements, which has cut off 90,000 students, there is still up to $4050 available per year to those who qualify.
According to Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education, 19 of 20 of the Pell Grant recipients have an annual family income of less than $35,000.
Stricken by bad reputations, loans tend to be viewed as last resorts.
If you have student debt now, it's essential to lock in the low rate before the end of the month.
On the other hand, students should not view loans as the only form of financial aid.
These remain one of the most recognized but underappreciated forms of financial aid.
Although the university does offer scholarships to high school juniors and seniors based on academic performance and athletic ability, these simply mark the tip of the free-money iceberg.
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