"For Emily Kayser, the prospect of covering her son’s college tuition on a teacher’s salary is “scary. It’s very stressful.” To pay for it, “I’m thinking, what can I sell?”," NPR reports.

..."The slow drip in the number of middle-income students on campuses also comes as enrollment overall has been falling for a decade, meaning institutions need all the students they can get. At the same time, the proportion of students from lower-income families enrolling directly in college has been going up.

'Maybe we’ve done a better job with the lower-income students — that, yes, there is financial aid for you for college,' says Jill Desjean, senior policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 'And maybe the middle has heard the message that financial aid is just for lower-income families.'

This perception isn’t entirely true, Desjean explains. Middle-income families can qualify for some federal, state and institutional financial aid.

'A lot of it is messaging — trying to simplify the message out there that, yes, we understand tuition is high, but there are programs you’re eligible for,' she adds."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 10/24/2024