June 29, 2007
Madison,
WI - Due to the unpredictable budget for the state of Wisconsin, low-income students applying for financial aid to attend any of the University of Wisconsin campuses will be placed on a waiting list.
According to Higher Education Washington, Inc.'s NewsLine, the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant Program, which funds need-based grants of as much as $2,730 per year for students, is running out of money.
The Higher Educational Aids Board, which implemented the list, started this year's waiting list earlier than ever before due to uncertainty regarding when the state budget will become law and the amount of funding the program will be allotted. This uncertainty is a big concern for prospective University of Wisconsin students as the board has promised more than 22,000 grants for the next school year and hoped to offer 2,000 additional awards, according to NewsLine.
There is a possibility that the grants will be freed for students on the waiting list once the budget goes into effect later this year, but it is not certain that this will happen, according to Channel 3000 news in Wisconsin.
Democrats and Republicans disagree on how to deal with the problem. Democrats, including Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, have proposed increasing the program's funding from its current $43 million to $50 million. Republicans, however, hope to reduce the budget to $39 million.
Some school officials fear that the uncertainty of whether low-income students will receive the financial aid they need may discourage students from beginning school in the fall.
"It's disturbing to learn that students who need and deserve financial aid may not be able to receive it," said EdFed customer service manager Jodie Corzano. "At EdFed, we hope to assist students with finding funding so that they can realize their dreams of a higher education."
For more information, please contact Brooke Heath at 800-821-5659, bheath@edfed.com.
About EdFed:
As a leader in the student loan industry, EdFed is dedicated to helping students and graduates realize all of their educational goals and meet their student loan and consolidation needs.
|
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.