Alarming Numbers Apply for Student Aid

SHARP CHANGE: During a Tuesday press conference Representative Anthony Weiner presents new statistics showing a sharp rise in students applying for federal financial aid. (Jianguo Wu/The Epoch Times)

NEW YORK—New data shows student applications for financial aid schools throughout the city are seeing a sharp rise. Representative Anthony Weiner, co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Caucus on the Middle Class went over the data during a press conference Tuesday.

In the first two months of 2009 alone, there has been a 33 percent increase from last year in the number of students applying for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in New York. The increase is the most drastic many New York schools have seen in the past five years.

“A college education should create opportunity for the middle class, not debt and bad credit. The federal government has a responsibility to help students help themselves by making a college education more affordable,” Weiner said in a press release.

Through the financial aid application students can apply for several types of aid including Pell Grants, student loans, and college work-study.

The economic stimulus plan passed by Congress may give middle class families a much-needed break by easing tuition costs. The package increases maximum Pell Grant awards to $5,350 in 2009 and $5,550 in 2010. The plan also provides a $2,500 tax credit to help pay for tuition and other college expenses.