The author argues that while financial aid helps many students pay for higher education, it does not adequately support students like herself. As a 22-year-old independent student living off-campus, she receives minimal loans that do not fully cover her tuition costs. She must work to support herself but her parents' income still factors into her financial aid eligibility. The author believes tuition costs are rising too quickly and questions whether funds are being properly allocated by universities.

1. Kristen Sell<br />Prof. DiSarro<br />ENG 103<br />November 2010<br />Higher Education, Lower Prices<br />Many believe that federal and institution aid along with inflation and tax benefits lessen the blow of paying for higher education (Awan para. 2). As a struggling student, I disagree. Public four-year universities raised in-state tuition and fees by eight percent this year, putting in-state tuition, including room and board, at $16,140 (Awan para. 2). While these forms of aid do help many students, some of us are being looked over. I am a 22-year-old freshman. As a freshman, I receive the lowest amount of student loan available, so low an amount, it does not even cover my tuition. As a 22-year-old adult, I live on my own (off campus). This requires me to have a job to help me barely pay my rent and bills along with textbooks and extra costs my financial aid does not cover. I am also somehow expected to find time to study and do well in my classes. While I am an adult, I am not 24-years-old, so I must still consider myself to be dependent. This means that, although I support myself, my parent’s income, instead of my own, is still the deciding factor in whether or not I receive any aid or grants. Because my parents are not poor and they have good credit, there are no grants made available to me. This means that I have to ask my parents to take out part of the federal loan that is available to them (an embarrassing and highly unwanted task for an independent adult). So the experts may say that the overall cost of paying for college has lessened, but, from where I’m standing, the price of higher education should be greatly decreased, if not made free.<br />I wonder why the cost of attending college continues to rise at such a great rate. The price of tuition and fees rises by about eight percent each year. That number seems like a bit much. Is an increase in professor’s salaries or the cost of energy bills to be blamed for this rise in cost? Is it the custodial staff or librarians demanding more pay? This does not seem likely. If you ask me, student’s money is being used to keep campuses looking pretty, modernizing buildings, and other superfluous nonsense. Do pretty flowers along the street or newly restored buildings help give students a better education? <br />So, should financial aid just help most students? Should deserving students who have no way, outside of financial aid, to pay for their education be allowed to fall through the cracks and possibly not receive the education they ought to have just because our government feels good that the majority of students have been helped? If one of these struggling students is asked their reply would be a definite no. Anyone with the drive to further their education deserves that education, regardless of how much money she or he is able to contribute.<br />