More aid available for college
By Loren Moreno
Advertiser Staff Writer
Two new federal grant programs could give hundreds of Hawai'i college students as much as $4,000 in extra financial aid come August.
But local universities are scrambling to phase in the programs this summer and make sure that all students who are eligible for the grants receive them.
The new grants — the Academic Competitiveness Grant and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant — were created under the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005, which also set aside $790 million to fund the grants this coming school year.
Financial aid officials at local universities said that while the grants would provide extra help to some of the neediest students, colleges are not being given sufficient time and support to implement the grants.
At Hawai'i Pacific University, many students began receiving financial aid award letters beginning in March, said Scott Stensrud, vice president of enrollment management. Many of those students could be eligible for one of the two new grants, but students won't know they are eligible until notification for them begins in July by the U.S. Department of Education, he said.
"By that time, a lot of students will have made their decisions on where they are attending. If they would have known ahead of time that they were eligible for one of these grants, it might have made HPU more affordable to them," Stensrud said.
Frank Silva, financial aid counselor at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, said he is afraid that the university may miss students who are eligible for one of the grants. Silva said he worries that students who are told they are eligible may not follow up with the federal government or the university's financial aid office.
"We're going to award what we know we can award, so (the student) can know they will have money when school starts," Silva said. If students later find they are eligible for one of the new grants, Silva said the university will adjust the student's financial aid award.
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| New federal grants for college students
Two new federal college grants are available for the 2006-07 academic year. Full-time college students who already are eligible for the federal Pell Grant also may be eligible for these two new grants. Academic Competitiveness Grant • Up to $750 for first-year students and up to $1,300 for second-year students. • Students must have completed a "rigorous" program of study while in high school which is identified by the state Department of Education as: successfully completed the state's general course requirements, received passing grades in at least two Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and received a passing grade in at least two Advanced Placement courses. • Students must be enrolled or accepted in a two- or four-year degree program. • First-year students must not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program and must have graduated from high school after Jan. 1. • Second-year students must have graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2005, and have had at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average during their first year of college. • Potentially eligible students will be notified by the U.S. Department of Education through e-mail or regular mail beginning July 1. Students will be asked to submit additional information to determine if they are eligible. National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent grants • Up to $4,000 will be awarded to eligible students. • Students must be enrolled in a four-year degree program. • Students must be pursuing a major in mathematics, science (including physical, life and computer sciences), technology, engineering or a critical foreign language. • Students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. • Each college or university will determine which students are eligible for the grant. Students who think they may be eligible should contact their school's financial aid office. For more information on both grants, visit www.ed.gov. Source: U.S. Department of Education |
Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.
