Advocate Online

In the Know
'Empty Promises'

Large numbers of academically qualified, low- to moderate- income high school graduates forgo higher education because tuition aid is not available.

Almost 170,000 qualified high school graduates from low- to moderate- income families will not attend college this year due to the lack of federal, state, and local aid, according to a recent report, Empty Promises: The Myth of College Access in America.

The report, published by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, states that a lack of adequate funding is a constant barrier causing many lower-income students to delay their education or not pursue college at all.

The committee warns that unless federal and state governments revamp their need-based student assistance programs, an estimated 4.4 million students will be denied a college education by the end of the decade.

One of the main causes for the decline of student funding is a shortage of federal and state aid. The report showed that the decreasing purchasing power of the Pell Grant and dwindling support for need-based aid in states cause more families to shoulder more college cost through loans, work study, paychecks, and personal savings.

Most families are left with an average of $7,500 in college expenses after all grant aid is awarded. For a low-income family earning less than $25,000 these fees can be astronomical.

The report calls for significant increases in the Pell Grant Program, asks the federal government to create greater initiatives for states to increase their own need-based programs, and issues a plea to colleges to hold down their tuition prices and fees.

Opponents of the report claim that many lower income students do not attend college because they are not academically ready, not because of inadequate funding. These critics argue that giving money to unprepared students could set them up for failure. They also argue that many of these students don’t get the money available to them because they don’t know how to properly apply for financial aid.

The advisory committee disagrees, showing in their latest report that even top students from low-income families face the same financial difficulties.

You can access the advisory committee’s report, Empty Promises: The Myth of College Access in America, and last year’s release, Access Denied, online at www.ed.gov/offices/AC/ACSFA/access.html or call 800/USA-LEARN for more information.