You’ve heard at least one NIC student’s woes about paying for college the “hard way,” but what about those who can’t attend college at all? Recently, a friend of mine explained the reasons why he chose not to enroll in higher education.
“My parents could have helped me out paying for college, but I guess they didn’t want to. They wanted me to pay for college on my own.” Laziness and a lack of drive aren’t a factor. Instead, many find that there simply isn’t enough time and money. After grocery bills and rent payments, college simply isn’t an option anymore.
Isn’t that what financial aid is for, to help pay the tuition of those who can’t otherwise? Not for many.
Federal financial aid is based on what your parents make yearly until you are the ripe old age of 23. For people like my friend whose parents don’t want to shell out tuition, college isn’t on the map anymore, even though they’re in the same financial boat as many other students who are receiving aid.
Contrast that with a classmate of mine who frequently spends class periods posting on Facebook instead of taking notes. Seeing how she spends her class time, I was interested to see exactly how she was paying for tuition. Her method of payment?
“Thank goodness I was able to get grants again,” the student lamented.
“I didn’t know if you got cut off after spending too much time in college.”
How long has this student been at NIC? Four years… in a two-year school.
“I failed my first semesters. I just got out of high school and wasn’t really paying attention,” she explained. I asked about any part-time jobs and how those affected going to college.
“Nope. I don’t really need one. I drive my mom’s car and she pays for gas.”
With an empty notebook sitting next to a full Facebook wall, it’s easy to see why students like these make paying taxes an even more regrettable experience. Right now, a percentage of my paycheck is going to a girl who spends her lecture hours on Facebook after a four-year attempt to get a basic degree.
Who should my taxes be going to? The person who wants to go to college, but can’t balance textbooks with a full-time job and rent. Any college student receiving financial aid should be able to decide if they are this person or not.
The financial aid system isn’t fair, but that doesn’t mean that the system should be abused. Yes, many are eligible for financial aid, but this aid should not be treated as free cash. The crime of milking financial aid is especially heinous when we understand that college is a privilege, not a right. Aid is a handout that many didn’t spend a minute earning. Thus, those who receive financial aid should treat this entitlement program like a godsend and navigate their free cash with some level of dignity and integrity.
If you’re receiving $5,000 in financial aid to go to school, you’d better not be spending your days off playing Zelda and smoking pot. If you’re letting taxpayers fund your education, you’d better be working weekends to make ends meet. After all, those who balance a full-time job with their psychology class are the people to whom I want to send my tax money.
